


Reylo: Darth Sidious Made Us Do It

by BethHalperin



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Ben Solo Lives, Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Cunnilingus, Dark Reylo, Devoted Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Erotica, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Falling In Love, First Time Blow Jobs, Imprisonment, Love, Love Confessions, Manipulative Sheev Palpatine, Masturbation, Mild Smut, Oral Sex, Redeemed Ben Solo, Rey - Freeform, Rey Needs A Hug (Star Wars), Romance, Sex, Slow Burn, Slow Burn Kylo Ren/Rey, Slow Burn Rey/Ben Solo, Slow Burn Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, Virgin Rey (Star Wars)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2021-01-07
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:47:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 23,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28111899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BethHalperin/pseuds/BethHalperin
Summary: A newly redeemed Ben Solo arrives on Exegol just in time to see Rey writhing on the ground while Palpatine delivers an excruciatingly painful deathblow. Desperate to save her, Ben makes a deal with the Devil. Palpatine agrees to spare Rey's life in exchange for one thing: a child born of a dyad in the Force. Palpatine is convinced that Rey and Ben's child will be the most powerful being in the entire space time continuum. Ben is convinced that he and Rey can outwit, outplay and outlast Palpatine if he is able to persuade her to join him. Will Rey learn to trust Ben? Will they successfully deceive Palpatine without succumbing to their physical desires while imprisoned together for months on end? And just who is outsmarting who? One thing is certain: THERE WILL BE BLOOD (I mean sex). Lots and lots of sex.
Relationships: Kylo Ren & Rey, Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey & Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 94
Kudos: 97





	1. The Bargain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey regains consciousness in a strange place to find herself imprisoned with Kylo Ren (who is actually Ben Solo now, unbeknownst to her). Half-dead after Palpatine's assault, Rey is not completely aware of what is real and what is not.

Rey woke in the vast, dark space alone. She staggered to her feet and swayed in place before gripping her stomach and doubling over in pain. Sick from a toxic brew of losing the battle to Darth Sidious, dying and being brought back to life, Rey retched the meager contents of her stomach onto the cold marble floor. She kept her head down and hands on her knees for several moments, breathing deeply to prevent the dry heaves. Once she was sure her stomach was relatively calm, Rey stumbled across the room to the closest wall where she stretched her arms out in front of her to brace herself. Then she started to sob.

She might have been crying for minutes or hours before she wondered with the small part of her mind that remained detached and observant if she would ever manage to stop. Though a Jedi and trained to control her emotions, Rey felt completely depleted and powerless. Her exhausted, bruised and bloodied body was weak from extreme physical and mental exertion and lack of food and sleep. All she seemed capable of doing was weeping uncontrollably.

Just as she thought she might collapse, Rey felt a warm presence at her back and strong arms enfold her from behind. _I must be asleep on my feet_ , she thought. Because now she was definitely dreaming.

Rey leaned into the solid form and heard a phantom Kylo Ren’s voice crooning gently in her ear, “It’s going to be ok. You’re safe now, Rey.”

“This isn’t real,” Rey said aloud to the phantom. “I'm dead. I died.” But she allowed herself to melt into the body supporting her. She was bone-tired and shivering and couldn’t resist the comfort it offered.

“You're not dead, Rey,” Kylo whispered hot breath into her ear. “You're right here. With me.” Then he touched her neck with the tips of his fingers to prove he was substance, not ghost.

Rey’s reaction to Kylo’s touch was lightning fast and startling. It felt as if her ear and neck were wired directly to a spot between her legs and her entire body started to pulse. Less than a second later, hot shame and guilt began to overtake her arousal. Before the shame could fully root, Kylo lightly brushed his lips against the spot where his fingers had been. Rey froze. It felt so erotic. She thought she might be hallucinating. She couldn't even see Kylo. She was unarmed. She would never let him get this close if she was in her right mind. She couldn't remember how to breathe. Unequipped to sort through this myriad of racing thoughts, Rey's brain was on the verge of short circuiting. Then she sighed audibly and moved even closer to Kylo.

He sensed the seismic shift in Rey. Though they were bonded by the Force, he'd never allowed himself to believe that he would ever actually be with her like this... _But she's letting me_ , he told himself and started to kiss Rey's neck in earnest, inhaling the scent of her and feeling himself harden.

Rey moaned softly. Kylo's mouth on her neck felt so unbelievably good as he kissed and nibbled the sensitive skin there. “What are we doing?” she murmured with difficulty. “This can’t be real."

“It’s real, Rey,” Kylo said, lifting his mouth from her neck.

“Kylo?”

“It's Ben,” he answered and started to pull away from her. She sounded delirious, and as loudly as his body screamed to touch and kiss every part of her, he wouldn't allow himself to take advantage of her in this state.

“No, Ben. Don’t go,” Rey pleaded.

Ben shuddered at her words. “Never,” he promised.

Returning his mouth to her neck, Ben put his hands on Rey's body, moving them up from her waist to just below her armpits. His fingers touched the sides of her breasts and she sighed again. Dreaming or not, Rey was filled with self-loathing at her lack of control. How could she want him to touch her this way? Her body was not her own. Or maybe it was more hers than it had ever been. She was determined to end this anarchy right now, but Ben moved his hands over her breasts to her nipples. He touched them ever so gently, squeezing them with the slightest pressure between his fingers. They hardened immediately and without intending to, Rey arched her back against him. Ben pushed her closer to the wall, and Rey could feel his erection as a gentle pressure on her lower back, pumping slowly. _I can’t believe I’m letting it happen_ , she chastised herself. She had to stop this, but it was too hard to think around the physical sensations or to find the right words. As she struggled to form a coherent thought, Ben slid one hand down her abdomen to the pulse point between her legs. Rey cried out and began to push against his fingers, seeking to increase the contact. She panted in time with the motion of Ben's long and dexterous fingers as they elicited unfamiliar and overwhelming responses from her body. The detached part of her observed that she was approaching a precipice of some kind when she heard Ben groan into her neck. He stilled for a moment and then jumped away from her as if scalded. Rey felt a patch of wet warmth at her back and then was suddenly cold and utterly exposed. Frustrated and bewildered, she leaned her head against the wall while Ben backed away from her in silence. He stalked to the opposite side of the room, sank into a chair and buried his face in his hands. With his eyes covered, Ben didn't see Rey swoon and sink to the floor, insensible.

***

Warming sunlight turned the insides of Rey's eyelids orange. She opened them slowly to find herself lying face up on the largest, softest bed she’d encountered in her short life. At the bottom of the bed, dressed all in white, was Kylo Ren. Rey shrieked in surprise, sat up and scuttled like a frightened crab away from him. Since she was already at one end of the bed and he at the other, Rey didn’t have far to go.

“Relax, Rey,” Kylo instructed in a calm, even voice. “I’m not going to hurt you. You've been sleeping in peace for days.”

Rey regarded Kylo warily and digested his words. She took a silent inventory of her physical state and noted that though she felt hungry and sore, she was essentially intact. There was no open wound or obvious internal bleeding. She, like Kylo, wore an unfamiliar white tunic and pants. Weeks of grime and filth had been removed from her skin. She smelled clean. Satisfied that she was not mortally wounded, Rey glanced around the room. It was a huge, well-lit and airy chamber with large, open windows, billowing curtains, shining marble floors and comfortable furniture strewn tastefully throughout. Everything was white, apart from the large buffet of assorted foodstuffs displayed artfully on a small table with two chairs and accompanying place settings. She’d never been in a room this fine or seen so much food in one place. Rey’s stomach gurgled.

“You should eat,” Kylo observed.

“Not until you tell me where we are and why we’re here, Kylo,” Rey countered, her body still tense and ready to spring off the bed.

“We’re on Exegol, in Palpatine’s fortress. He’s imprisoned us here,” Kylo said tersely, bristling at the way she said his name.

Rey laughed derisively. “Palpatine imprisoned you, Ren? Why would he do that to his most loyal and powerful disciple?”

“Because he knows that Kylo Ren is dead. I’m Ben Solo now,” he said with a strange intensity.

Rey’s eyes widened fractionally. “You expect me to believe that?”

“You’re alive, aren’t you? Why do you think that is?” Ben said out loud. Then he spoke to Rey directly through their bond. _We can use the Force to communicate without making a sound, Rey. Palpatine doesn’t know we can talk mind-to-mind, so we have to be careful. He’s always watching and listening. Please trust me and follow my lead._

Rey took a deep breath, realizing she had only moments to make one of the most consequential decisions of her life. “I don’t know, **Ben** ,” she emphasized his name sarcastically. “Why don’t you tell me why I’m still alive?”

 _Thank you_ , Ben said down their bond. “Because I saved you, Rey. Palpatine killed you and I used the Force to bring you back,” he explained.

“Why?” Rey asked.

“Because you did the same for me on Kef Bir. That’s why I turned from the Dark Side,” Ben answered.

“And Palpatine just stood by and watched you do this?” Rey challenged.

“No,” Ben responded. “He asked for something in return.”

Rey’s thoughts were becoming impossibly jumbled as she tried to make sense of this conversation on multiple levels. Which part of what Ben was saying should she believe? Should she believe anything he was saying? Was he just pretending to trick Palpatine when he was actually deceiving her? It was too much to cope with after all she’d been through over the last few days. “What did he ask for?” she inquired, barely clinging to the thread of the conversation.

“Our child,” Ben said quietly, and his face burned red.

Rey’s mouth dropped open. She was speechless for a full minute as Ben watched and waited in silent agony. “Is this some sick joke?” she hissed when she recovered the ability to speak. Any inclination she'd had to trust him was now dead on arrival.

“No, Rey. It’s not,” Ben said, gathering his courage to look her directly in the eye. “Now I’ve held up my end of the bargain,” he asserted with more authority than he felt. “I’m not going to say another word until you eat.”

Rey glared at Ben for a moment, but he didn’t back down. There was something unreadable in his expression and she felt the nascent stirrings of a similarly unidentifiable response in herself. Having no desire to investigate this development further, Rey huffed her capitulation to Ben’s demand. “Fine,” she said. “Let’s eat.”


	2. Just the Facts, Ma'am

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben and Rey share a tense meal while he fills her in on essential plot points. Rey is horrified. She can't trust Ben now because there's no way he can definitively prove he's not plotting with Palpatine. Ben resigns himself to the fact that Rey loathes him. She's a feisty hellcat, using her anger at Ben to push away her terror about the situation she's in. Rey and Ben discuss the logistics of their cohabitation (guess who ends up on the couch) and because she's still weak, Ben continues to nurse her back to health (when she'll let him). His desire to strip Rey naked and make her come until her eyes cross is matched only by the urge to give her a swift, hard punch to the gut. For now, the gut punch will probably have to suffice.

Once Rey and Ben were seated at the table, Ben started loading up one of the plates with food. He piled it high with almost every varietal of edible on offer. Rey watched him in silence, seething with contempt at his rudeness and selfish disregard for the physical state she was in. Just as she was about to open her mouth and let him know exactly what she thought, Ben placed the heaping plate directly in front of her.

 _Now, here’s how this is going to work_ , he told her through their bond. _You’re going to eat as much as necessary to get your strength back and I’m going to tell you everything you need to know._

 _Need to know?_ Rey spat at him, latching onto another reason to be angry. _I **need** to know everything, you deceitful, cowardly, back-stabbing traitor._

 _I respectfully disagree_ , Ben growled down the bond and clenched his teeth. _You don’t **need** to know all the gory details about how wounded and weak you were. You don’t **need** to know your fever spiked and you started talking to people who weren’t there. You don’t **need** to know you couldn’t keep any food down and I had to clean you and dress you so you weren’t lying in a puddle of your own puke and piss and shit._

 _Ok, ok!_ Rey yelled, holding both hands up in a gesture of surrender. _If you’re trying to humiliate me, it’s working._ She looked down at her plate, face burning with fury and shame. Knowing that Ben had seen her that way made her feel small and repulsive.

Ben was instantly sorry. _Look, I don’t want to fight with you, Rey. You asked me to tell you about our situation and that’s what I’m doing_ , he said in a conciliatory tone _. Please eat. Otherwise, Palpatine will wonder why we’re sitting at this table staring daggers at each other in total silence._

 _Food’s probably poisoned_ , Rey muttered.

Ben pulled her plate towards him and started shoveling forkfuls of food into his mouth. _Fine_ , Ben said while chewing on a huge wad of meat. _Don’t eat. But when you fall off that chair in a dead faint, don’t expect me to pick you up and carry you to the bed. Again._

Rey grabbed her plate from Ben and attacked the food like a starving animal, eschewing cutlery for the convenience of hands and fingers. Ben felt an intense surge of sympathy for her, guessing correctly that she’d rarely had enough to fill her stomach in the past. But he didn’t let himself dwell on Rey’s brutal childhood. Instead, he put a moderate amount of food on his own plate and resumed their silent conversation.

 _Are you ready to listen now?_ Ben asked as he finished chewing.

 _Yes_ , Rey answered grudgingly.

 _Ok._ Ben took a sip of red liquid to wash the food down. _When I left Kef Bir, my plan was to follow you to Exegol so I could help you defeat Palpatine._

 _How did you track me_? Rey asked with genuine curiosity.

 _From your transmitted tracking markers_ , Ben answered. Rey nodded and Ben continued. _But I got lost a few times and I landed on Exegol too late. Instead of running to your side so we could destroy Palpatine together, I saw you dead on the ground._ Ben shivered at the memory.

Rey stopped chewing. _Go on._

Ben thought about his options for a moment. He could tell Rey how devastated he’d been to see her broken body lying at Palpatine’s feet and how he’d dropped to his knees to plead for her life. He could say that he didn’t care if Palpatine killed him right then and there because he didn’t want to live in a universe where she no longer existed. Or, he could stick to the basic facts.

 _Well_? Rey prompted impatiently, suspicion and wariness in her eyes.

 _So_ , Ben said, _I asked Palpatine to let me bring you back. I told him what you did for me on Kef Bir. I used this as evidence that I would be able to turn you so he could exploit our Force bond to crush the Jedis once and for all. I don’t think he believed it_.

 _I don’t see why not_ , Rey responded, her words dripping acid down the bond. **_I’m_** _having no trouble believing it._

Ben tried to ignore the pain Rey’s reaction triggered. He didn’t want her to know how much this conversation was costing him. _Well, I’m sure this isn’t the first or the last time the two of you will disagree_ , he said as lightly as he could. _Regardless, Palpatine accepted my offer under one condition: that I pretend to be his prisoner, gain your trust, seduce and impregnate you and then give him our child._

Rey almost choked on the piece of bread she was about to swallow. _I don’t understand why he wants our child._ She didn’t let herself think about the seduction part or what she and Ben would be required to do to produce that child.

 _He’s convinced that a child born of a Force dyad would be the most powerful creature in the universe_ , Ben explained _._

Rey’s eyebrow rose threateningly. _And how does he know that we’re a Force dyad?_

Ben braced himself for her reaction _. I told him._

 _And why did you do that?_ she asked, her question silky and dangerous in his mind.

 _Because he knew I let you go after we killed Snoke. He thought my sympathies had shifted. I told him we're a Force dyad to convince him that the reason I let you live was to turn you to the Dark Side. Together, we would be the most powerful weapon ever known. I almost ended up convincing myself,_ Ben confessed.

Though Rey remembered sensing Ben’s internal conflict after Snoke was dead and he asked her to join him, she wasn’t ready to give him an inch yet. _That must have been easy for you, Ben, since it was the truth._

Ben sighed _. Believe what you want, Rey. That’s the whole story._ He wasn’t one to indulge in self-pity, but Ben thought it was quite unfair that whether he was honest or not, no one who mattered believed him. _Anyway_ , he concluded _, we’ve been quiet for too long. It’s time I give you the grand tour of our cell._

***

The grand tour was over in less than three minutes. Their prison consisted of the large sleeping, dining and leisure space where Rey had woken, a smaller training room with padded floors and walls, and a well-appointed bathroom with double sinks and a huge claw-footed tub. Rey was surprised when Ben showed her the training room until he told her that it contained no weapons aside from wooden batons. Apparently, Palpatine expected them to train on a daily basis in order to maximize their lethal potential until their child was ready to replace them. No expense had been spared in constructing their jail, and it was clearly designed as a place where two adults could cohabitate comfortably for an indefinite period of time. Everything was made from the finest materials available across the galaxy - marble floors, down pillows and comforters, priceless rugs, delicate multicolored glassware and meticulously crafted furniture. There were even assorted candles and soaps in the bathroom and beautifully arranged fresh flowers in the large living area. Rey marveled at the open floor-to-ceiling windows on both sides of the room that let in lots of soft light and fresh air, wondering why Palpatine would allow them such an easy means of escape. Ben explained that the windows were an illusion created by sophisticated holoprojectors outfitted with updated sensory arrays that produced artificial sunlight and filtered air.

The only thing that had been overlooked, in Rey’s opinion, was the number of beds. There was only one. Granted, it was a gigantic bed. But Palpatine had gravely miscalculated when he assumed Rey would be willing to sleep anywhere near Ben. Fortunately, there was also a very large upholstered couch at the far end of the room that was long enough for a tall man to stretch out on. When he saw Rey's expression the moment she comprehended the sleeping situation, Ben told her he'd been sleeping on the couch and offered to remain there for the duration. He was surprised when she started to argue with him, suggesting it was only fair that they switch places every few days. But that argument was effectively circumvented when Rey’s eyelids fluttered shut and she started to pass out, her limited energy already tapped for the day. This time, Ben was watching and he reached Rey before she hit the floor. He carried her over to the bed and tucked her under the soft white sheets and comforter.

When he was close to her like this, Ben couldn't stop himself from remembering that first night together - how it felt to have his hands on her, how she'd responded to his touch, the noises she made and the way she smelled when she was aroused. Ben wondered what it would be like to kiss her mouth, her breasts and the place between her legs that gave her such intense pleasure. He wanted to press her body against his and put his hands all over her. Ben sensed that Rey didn't have much experience and he wanted to be the first man to enter her, claim her and make her come. He imagined making her come over and over again and hearing her shout his name when she did. These thoughts sometimes drove him to distraction during the day and invaded his dreams at night, compelling him to change his bedding far more often than he liked. He supposed it was fortunate that Rey didn't seem to recall the events that occurred after she regained consciousness for the first time. But another part of him wished that she would remember their incredibly hot but all too brief encounter. Though he was mortified at the way it ended and aware she'd hate him for taking advantage of her in that state, at least she would know how he could make her feel. And that might be enough for Rey to consider the possibility that Ben could serve her as something other than a punching bag. But to act on these impulses now when she was so frail and vulnerable would be utterly despicable, not to mention dangerous in light of Palpatine's plans.

Seeing her face, young and gentle in sleep, Ben couldn’t repress the tenderness he felt towards Rey or his fierce need to protect her. These emotions overwhelmed his more carnal desires for now and Ben was content to settle for a few stolen moments when he could care for Rey without her scratching and clawing his eyes out. He stood over her for a while, scanning her for physical distress and worried about the things he couldn't see, like her terror and despair. She’d literally been through Hell and woken up in Purgatory. It would take time for her to fully recover in mind, body and spirit. And probably even longer before she let him help her when she was actually conscious. He brushed a stray lock of light brown hair from her face and lowered himself into a chair next to the bed. Then, as he’d been doing for the better part of the last ten days and nights, Ben watched Rey while she slept.


	3. Learning to Live with It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben and Rey adjust to living with each other. They develop a training routine that gives Ben plenty of opportunities to try not to ogle Rey's breasts while Rey sneers at Ben's intimidatingly perfect physique and limitless stamina. Rey makes it painfully clear that it will be a cold day on Mandalore before she agrees to pretend to cooperate with the pregnancy plan. The last thing she wants is to play at being seduced by Ben because she finds him absolutely repulsive. Even though he does have nice hands and soulful eyes and the best ass she's ever... well, you get the picture.

Ben was fast asleep in a chair close to the bed when Rey opened her eyes the next morning. He was snoring softly, his mouth slightly open and cheeks stained pink with simulated dawn light. She didn’t think him traditionally handsome. Not like Finn or Poe. Ben’s ears were too big, his face too angular, his nose too long. But, she acknowledged reluctantly to herself, he certainly had physical presence and a sort of magnetism that drew your gaze. When he moved, he was lithe and sure. His lips were full and nicely shaped. And when they weren’t hidden by hair, his eyes were liquid black, their depths hinting at keen intelligence, sensitivity and other more unknowable things. Not a bad-looking guy, all in all, Rey thought to herself. His character, on the other hand, was a whole different story.

Ben, like most creatures, couldn’t remain asleep when he was being watched. He roused himself to find Rey staring at him coldly like some specimen under a magnifying glass. Sighing, he guessed it would be another great day of interrogation, verbal abuse and heinous accusations. Determined to make the best of it, Ben stretched his arms and legs, wincing at the pain in his back from sleeping while seated. He stood up and stretched some more, bending forwards and backwards, rotating his head and shoulders and moving into lunge positions to get the blood flowing back to his legs.

Rey watched, both annoyed and a trifle amused. When Ben showed no signs of stopping or acknowledging her presence, she cleared her throat.

“Just how long are you planning to keep this up?” she asked.

“Good morning, Rey,” Ben said brightly, rising from a squat repetition. “How did you sleep? I slept fine, thanks, though the chair was a bit uncomfortable. Would you like some breakfast?”

Rey ignored everything but the last part of Ben’s greeting. She didn’t speak Smartass in the morning. “Where does the food come from? You didn’t tell me that part.”

“We just have to say we’re hungry and two guards will appear within minutes carting a pretty big selection of things to eat,” Ben explained. “I think they probably take orders too, though I’ve never tested that theory.”

“Ok,” Rey said slowly and loudly to the ceiling. “I would like some breakfast now. Lots of bread and meat. And fresh fruit. And pastries. And fruit juice. The red kind.”

Ben chuckled. “It’ll be here soon.”

Over breakfast, Ben initiated another silent conversation with Rey. _I’m thinking we should sort out a daily routine between ourselves before we go public with it._

 _Ok_ , Rey consented. _What did you have in mind?_

 _Meals, bathing and sleeping schedules. Privacy. I also figured we could start training when you’re up for it_ , Ben suggested.

 _What kind of training?_ Rey asked.

 _Basic cardio and strength training, sparring, mental offense and defense,_ Ben listed.

Rey was intrigued despite herself. _Mental offense and defense?_

 _Yes,_ Ben said. _Didn’t Luke ever train you how to infiltrate other people’s minds and keep them out of yours?_

 _Of course,_ Rey answered indignantly. _But I’m not sure how that works in a Force dyad._

Ben nodded. _Which brings me to my next point. We should probably have a formal agreement not to try to read each other’s thoughts, feelings or memories through our Force bond._

 _Fine by me,_ Rey said. _But how do I know you’ll honor your side of the agreement?_

Ben had anticipated this question. _I’d say you just have to trust me. But you won’t. That’s where the mental defense training comes into play. We’ll practice shielding against each other. If we can do that, we should have no trouble shielding against others,_ he pointed out. _Maybe even against Palpatine._

 _Ok,_ Rey agreed. _It all sounds fairly reasonable so far._

 _Huh,_ Ben said. _That was not the response I expected._

 _Well, it’s not like I have a lot of options here,_ Rey complained. _Everything we do and say is being watched at all times. I have to seem like I’m cooperating, don’t I?_

Ben nodded again. _Fair point, Rey._ He took a deep breath before continuing. _Speaking of cooperating, Palpatine is also going to want to see –_

 _Stop right there,_ Rey interrupted. _I know where you’re heading with this and the answer is absolutely not. I refuse to have sex with you, or talk about having sex with you, or even think about having sex with you. Never. Gonna. Happen._

Ben shrugged. _That’s exactly the response I expected. I’ll drop it for now. But Palpatine is very dangerous when he doesn’t get what he wants, as you well know._

 _And as you well know,_ Rey countered, _I don’t really give a shit. What can he do? Kill me again? There are some things that are worse than death._

Ben winced. _Ouch._

 _Yeah. Sorry, Ben,_ Rey said without an ounce of remorse. _Being imprisoned and forced to get pregnant isn’t really the way to a girl’s heart._

 _I know you don’t believe me, but this wasn’t my idea,_ Ben said quietly. _If I was trying to seduce you, you’d know it._

Rey rolled her eyes. _If you were trying to seduce me, I’d castrate you._

“Well, I’ve certainly had enough to eat,” Ben said, pushing his chair from the table with such force that he almost tipped backwards. “I call first dibs on bathing.” With that, Ben walked to the bathroom and closed the door.

***

After eleven days spent resting, sleeping, eating, recovering and rudely rejecting all of Ben’s overtures to help her, Rey was ready to begin training. They started with stretching, led by Ben. Next was basic strength and flexibility training using advanced Jedi poses and body weight for resistance. Rey was out of shape, a consequence of being essentially immobile for three weeks. Ben, who’d been training on a twice daily basis while Rey convalesced, was in prime condition. Rey found this extremely irritating. She had a strong urge to kick him in his firm, muscular ass every time she collapsed onto the cushioned training room floor as he held himself in an impossible position for an inordinate amount of time. Ben, uncharacteristically clueless about Rey’s resentment, was deliberately showing off. He pushed himself beyond his limits to impress her, hoping there was at least one thing she could find to admire in him. Also, the physical suffering caused by his overexertion was a necessary distraction from the sight of Rey’s perfect breasts straining against her form-fitting training outfit. Whenever he caught himself thinking about what those breasts would feel like in his hands and mouth, Ben contorted himself into an even more impossible position to blot out every thought and feeling but pure, unadulterated pain.

The cardio portion of their workout consisted of interval training exercises like shuttle sprints, pushups, burpees, mountain climbers, crunches, squats, plank jacks, walking lunges and star hops. Rey was forced to quit after the burpee rotation which gave her the opportunity to watch Ben demonstrate his perfect form and inhuman endurance. As she seethed and gasped for breath, Rey observed Ben’s well-defined arm, shoulder, back and leg muscles when he did pushups and his sculpted chest and abs when he did crunches. With a body like that, he’s probably in love with himself, she thought disdainfully. He probably assumes I think he’s hot, she laughed to herself.

Once cardio was over and the silent but deadly peanut gallery finished its running commentary on Ben, he and Rey practiced building mental shields against each other. They took turns holding innocuous images in their minds and trying to erect walls against the images so that the other couldn’t see what they were thinking about. Ben had years of practice on Rey and they were not at all evenly matched in the beginning. He was able to penetrate her defenses and maintain his quite easily during the first weeks of training. This did nothing to improve Rey’s mood or put Ben in her good graces. But one day after a dozen unsuccessful attempts at penetrating Ben’s mental wall, Rey finally managed to get a flash of an unfamiliar meadow populated by trees with large purple blossoms.

“A meadow with purple trees?” she said tentatively.

“That’s exactly right! You did it!” Ben cheered with real excitement.

Rey yelled in triumph and hugged Ben spontaneously. Stunned, Ben hugged her back. As soon as she realized what she was doing, Rey quickly extricated herself from the embrace and moved away from him.

Ben blushed and regrouped. “On that successful note, let’s stop for today. It’s almost time for dinner and you must be hungry.”

“That’s a good idea,” Rey agreed, grateful that he wasn’t making a fuss about the hug.

“Great job, Rey,” Ben said looking her in the eyes.

“Thanks, Ben,” Rey answered, looking right back.

***

Later, Ben and Rey had their first civil conversation during a shared meal. They told each other amusing stories from their pasts and talked about the food, carefully steering clear of all controversial topics. As he watched Rey finish her third dessert, Ben playfully pointed out that she ate three times the amount he did and wondered where it all went. Rey decided not to be offended. It was a long meal and they'd trained particularly hard that day, so both of them were very tired by the time Rey put the final bite of cake into her mouth.

Ben, failing to suppress a yawn, apologized and said, "I'm beat. I think I'll call it a day now. Thanks for a lovely dinner, Rey."

"Me too," Rey said. "And you're welcome. It _was_ nice, wasn't it?" A shy smile crept across her face. Then she got up from the table, gathered her nightclothes and went to the bathroom to change and brush her teeth.

Much later, after Rey was in bed, Ben lay on the couch and reflected on the current state of affairs. For the first time since their imprisonment, he allowed himself to hope. As he gazed up at the ceiling and struggled to keep his eyes open, Rey's smile was the last image in his mind before he fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.


	4. As I Lay Sleeping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally, Rey and Ben give in to their unspoken desires and begin to spar. In the training room. With their clothes on. Platonically. (Patience, Gentle Reader). Facing Ben as an opponent, Rey's memories of Kylo Ren are triggered and Ben uses their Force bond to comfort her, reminding her of who he is now. Eventually, they both start to enjoy the match because they relish the experience of fighting someone who truly knows how to use a lightsaber. Jedis don't grow on trees. Later, Rey has the opportunity to return Ben's favor when she is compelled to use their Force bond to rescue him from a particularly horrifying nightmare. Little by little, they are getting closer and their relationship is shifting. But neither of them will acknowledge this out loud. Never fear, though. I still managed to sneak in a sex scene, plus a lot of innuendo.

During breakfast the next morning, Rey surprised Ben with an invitation.

“Let’s spar,” she suggested.

“Are you sure you’re ready to do that?” Ben asked. “Your body has been through a terrible ordeal.”

Rey shrugged. “As ready as I’ll ever be. We have to start at some point. Palpatine’s orders,” Rey said, spitting out his name like a curse. “Anyway, your body endured the same exact thing mine did. I killed you and brought you back.”

Though he wasn’t hungry, Ben stuffed a piece of fruit into his mouth to buy them some privacy. _Me dying at your hands and you being murdered by Palpatine are not at all the same._

 _And why is that?_ Rey popped another bite of pastry in her mouth because she was always hungry.

Ben thought for a moment. He couldn’t say it was preferable to be killed by Rey because she was a goddess and not a vile, repellant sociopath. And after he died, she’d put her hands on his body to heal him. He had vivid memories of waking up in her arms and feeling warm energy coursing through his body from the physical contact with Rey and the Force healing. What would she think if he told her dying was worth it just to have her touch him with tenderness and look into his eyes with something other than revulsion?

 _It just is_ , was the brilliant response he came up with instead.

 _Is not_ , Rey argued.

 _Is too_ , Ben countered.

And they both started to giggle.

“Ok, you win,” Ben conceded. “But all we have are those wooden batons they give younglings before they make their own lightsabers,” he pointed out.

“That’s ok,” Rey said. “It’ll be good just to go through the forms again, practice my footwork and stances.”

Ben nodded. “Let’s get ready then.”

***

Once properly clothed, Ben and Rey worked through a series of stretching exercises in the training room to warm their muscles. Forgoing the cardio and mental warfare portions of their training, they closed their eyes and engaged in a traditional meditation ritual to ground themselves and prepare for battle. When the ritual was complete, Ben fetched two batons and handed one to Rey. They stood opposite each other about fifteen feet apart. Both moved into the Jedi Ready stance, each instinctually sizing up the other. And then they remembered. Starkiller Base. Pasana. Kef Bir. Ben noticed Rey’s eyes widen in alarm and sensed her heartrate increase. Facing Ben in this position, all she could see was Kylo Ren.

 _Don’t be afraid, Rey. I will never hurt you again. Never_ , Ben pledged. Along with his words, he sent energy to Rey through their bond.

The energy felt safe and reassuring to Rey. It felt like Ben. Rey began to relax and she and Ben started to move around each other, running through the forms and stances like they had when they were younger and just learning to use their lightsabers. Eventually, they started to duel in earnest. Like most elite athletes, Rey and Ben appreciated having an opponent who truly challenged them. As they dueled, Rey felt free in a way she hadn’t since waking up in their prison. Ben, knowing that no real harm would come to Rey, also felt liberated. Before, he’d always held back in his battles with her. At the time, he didn’t understand why. Seeing Rey now, magnificent and brave as she parried his every thrust and slash, Ben realized she was his match in every way. And he knew that he loved her.

Nearly an hour elapsed before they’d battled to a draw, completely exhausted. They stood staring at each other in silence for a few moments, panting, drenched in sweat and eyes shining from extreme physical exertion. Ben extended his hand to Rey in a gesture of respect and admiration for a worthy adversary and Rey reciprocated. As their hands met, she felt a sort of electrical charge from Ben’s bare skin on hers. Rey shivered involuntarily. She’d never had this reaction to anyone else's touch and reasoned that it must have happened because they were a Force dyad. She wondered if Ben had experienced it too. Regardless, it obviously didn’t signify anything important and wasn’t worth a second thought. Besides, Rey was starving.

***

Ben saw starlight through the windows as he and Rey sparred in the darkened training room. They circled around and around each other like cats, each waiting for the opportunity to strike. Ben suddenly lunged at her and she grabbed his baton in a way that would not have been possible if it were actually a lightsaber.

“Hey!” he said when Rey pulled the baton towards herself and him with it. Ben crashed into her, lost his balance and they both fell to the ground. Ben landed directly on top of Rey and it was like sinking into warm water. They were sweaty and out of breath and giggling like children.

“Such a little cheater,” Ben murmured as Rey looked up at him, smiling.

And then he was kissing her. Her hands were in his hair, holding his head in place like she didn’t want him to stop. So he didn’t. They rolled together on the floor, each fighting to be on top. It was an entirely different kind of battle, and this time, Ben wanted Rey to win. Sitting astride him, she stripped her shirt off over her head, revealing gloriously bare breasts. Ben immediately put his hands on Rey’s upper back and pulled her down towards him so that he could reach a nipple with his mouth. He tongued and suckled her and grabbed her hips to guide her movements while she writhed against his erection. Then somehow they were both completely naked and there was just the feeling of hot, moist skin on skin. Rey was wet and slippery as she slid back and forth on his cock and the sensation was almost unbearably arousing. Ben couldn’t wait another second. He flipped her over onto her back, closed his eyes and plunged all the way into her until he was buried to the hilt. Being inside Rey felt like coming home. She was warm and tight and luscious. She was his. Ben held nothing back. His thrusts were long and rough and his cock was relentless, pounding harder and harder, faster and faster like he was in some sort of frenzy. He knew he was overstimulated and would come too fast, but couldn’t seem to stop himself.

As he felt the telltale signs of his impending orgasm, Ben suddenly opened his eyes and looked down at Rey. Her mouth was slack and her eyes were glazed over and unseeing. A feeling of horror washed over him. She was dead. Caught in the surreal circular time flow of a dream, Ben found himself back in the Sith Throne Room standing over Rey’s dead body. He tried to reach out to her, but the surrounding air was as thick and heavy as wet sand and forced his arms back to his sides every time he managed even the smallest movement. He literally couldn’t lift a finger to save her.

“Rey,” he yelled and started to sob in frustration. “Rey!”

“It’s ok, Ben,” she said, her voice closer to him than it should have been. “I’m right here. You’re having a nightmare.”

“NO!” Ben screamed and continued to thrash on the couch.

“It’s ok, Ben, it’s ok,” Rey repeated, tentatively stroking his forehead to soothe him. She'd come to his side when she heard him shouting. His skin was hot to the touch and his dark hair was matted to his skin with sweat. When he didn’t wake, she took him by the shoulders and shook gently but was unable to rouse him. His extreme anguish was palpable and Rey felt powerless because she didn’t know how to help him.

 _B_ _en_ , she called to him down their bond, _please wake up. It’s just a bad dream. You’re safe_.

 _Rey! Rey! I’m so sorry, Rey. It should have been me. It should have been me_ , Ben cried back.

 _Wake up, Ben!_ Rey shouted, but to no avail. She could sense Ben, lost and terrified, at the other end of their bond, but she couldn’t reach him. A thought occurred to her and she ran into the bathroom, returning with a cup of cold water. Rey poured some of it directly onto Ben’s face. He sputtered and shook his head back and forth, but didn’t open his eyes. Quickly running through her other options, the solution that seemed most promising to Rey was to penetrate Ben’s mental shields in order to see his dream. If she knew what was scaring him, maybe it would help her find the right words to calm him. Perhaps she could even use their bond to pull him out of the nightmare. But they’d made a deal and Rey felt obligated to honor it.

 _Can you hear me, Ben? Can you hear me calling you? I’m right here with you, Ben. Please wake up_ , Rey begged.

In response, Ben muttered the word “no” over and over again and his whole body started to tremble violently.

“Fuck the deal,” Rey said out loud and placed her hand on Ben’s cheek to strengthen their connection. She closed her eyes and pictured their Force bond in her mind. She saw it as a long platinum cable braided with thousands of glowing filaments and imagined following it all the way down to Ben. It was surprisingly easy and when she reached the place where his shield should have been, she met no resistance. Ben’s mind was wide open to her. Rey was overwhelmed. There were so many answers here, so many things she needed to know. She realized this may be the only opportunity she’d have to find out whether Ben was truly on her side. But despite the gravity of her concerns, Rey couldn’t bring herself to betray him when he was so vulnerable. Cursing herself for her weakness, Rey searched for Ben in his mind. She followed the sound of his voice deeper and deeper into what felt like an abyss with no bottom. She was scared of losing her way, but continued to let herself fall until she reached a very dark place where she finally found him. He was on his knees weeping over something. No, he was on his knees weeping over someone. Someone who was dead. Someone with her face.

 _You can’t be dead, Rey_ , Ben pleaded with the other Rey. _You can’t be dead. It should be me. Let it be me._ He had his arms wrapped around himself, rocking and keening.

 _Oh Ben_ , Rey said as she realized what she was seeing. _It’s not your fault. You didn’t kill me. You saved me. I’m right here. Look at me!_

But Ben was blind and deaf to her. He was buried in guilt, grief and something else - something he was guarding very carefully, even in the depths of his despair. Rey felt a strong compulsion to push through this barrier, the only defense she’d encountered since entering Ben’s mind. But Ben’s grief was suffocating and she was finding it harder to move or to speak. It felt like trying to swim in quicksand and Rey worried that if she didn’t get them out soon, they’d both be buried alive in his nightmare. Though Rey sensed her fears were part of the strange logic of the dream, it all felt very real to her. She did the only thing she could think of. She grabbed Ben’s arms, pulled him to his feet and wrapped him in a tight embrace.

 _Come with me now, Ben_ , she commanded in her most imposing voice. _Fight these feelings. Fight this weakness. A true Jedi does not allow their emotions to master them. I’m here, Ben. Follow me._

"Rey!" Ben gasped, jerking upright on the couch. His eyes were wild as he reached for her.

Rey took his hand and stroked it gently. _I’m here, Ben. It’s ok. It was just a dream._

 _Rey,_ Ben murmured with relief as he lay back down on the couch, instantly asleep again. He was still holding her hand, and Rey sat with him a while, listening to his breathing as it deepened and became more regular.

“You really do care about me, don’t you, Ben?” she whispered. “Everything would be so much easier if you didn’t and I could hate you. But I've tried really hard and I just can't manage to hate you." Rey sighed. "So, what in the hell do we do now?”

But Ben didn’t answer. Watching his face, peaceful and innocent in sleep, Rey felt more confused than ever.


	5. Friend, Foe or Lover?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey and Ben grow closer over the months they spend in their shared prison. Rey allows herself to trust Ben and there are times when she wonders about the nature of their feelings for each other. But being Rey, she’s afraid to explore them. Ben, however, is falling deeper and deeper. While he may not be fully aware that he’s in love with Rey, Ben is all too conscious of the fact that he’s completely, madly in lust with her. Rey appears to be totally oblivious to Ben’s all-consuming passion for her. Or is she? Regardless, Ben is forced to take matters into his own hands until Palpatine becomes impatient with Ben’s approach and decides to intervene. Badness ensues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter, but we're moving along here. Your patience will soon be rewarded.

Rey and Ben trained and sparred together almost every day. The exercise and limitless supply of food worked wonders for Rey’s health and strength. She’d also packed on some muscle and acquired a little extra padding in her chest and hips. The end result was that she looked better than she ever had and it took all of Ben’s considerable self-discipline to prevent himself from having a constant erection in her presence. He tried desperately not to notice when her nipples hardened during their workouts, or how the dark buds were much more visible through her sweat-soaked shirt. He tried to avoid standing behind her so he couldn’t see how delicious her ass looked when her body was in certain positions. Even the sight of her lovely face, dewy and flushed from exertion, stimulated him. He told himself he didn’t actually want to taste the sweat on her neck or lick it from her lips. He tried not to dwell on what it felt like when she occasionally brushed up against him during their training. But he failed miserably.

Sometimes he sensed that Rey was touching him on purpose and that it was happening more and more often. While practicing their mental offense and defense, Ben was tempted to breach Rey’s walls to see whether this was the case. But he didn’t because of their deal and because he lived in mortal terror that she would retaliate and stumble upon the countless images he stored in his mind about the things he wanted to do with her, to her and have her do to him. These images were graphic and incredibly stimulating. He fought them day and night. Besides running a constant mental loop of the most unsexy things he could think of and working hard to reinforce the barrier in his mind, the only weapon Ben had at his disposal was his own hand.

So, Ben waited every night until Rey was asleep, crept into the bathroom and locked the door behind him. He kept the light off and turned on the faucet just in case Rey woke and happened to need the bathroom. Then he pulled his cock out of his pants and covered it in organic, unscented bath oil until it was rock hard and shuddering. He stroked himself slowly at first, picturing Rey’s face. As he increased the tempo and the pressure, Ben allowed himself to think of Rey’s body in her training outfit, her breasts moving up and down when she exercised and the way her nipples looked in her sweat-drenched shirt. He twisted his hand back and forth, up and down his shaft while imagining kissing Rey’s lips and tasting and teasing her tongue with his. He pumped himself faster as he pictured Rey’s entire body pressed tight against him while he massaged her clit with his cock and palmed her ass with his hands, pulling her closer still. He tried to convince himself that his hand was her hand or her mouth or her cunt while he rubbed himself faster, tighter, harder until he was there. As he came, Ben hunched over the sink, jerking and shooting into the basin. Then he quickly cleaned himself up before returning to his couch to try to sleep. Though it took the edge off, touching himself paled in comparison to actually being in Rey's presence. And it made him a little depressed. Ben resigned himself to the reality that he would have to settle for this poor substitute indefinitely while living, breathing, bathing and sleeping only a few feet away from the person he felt most connected to – the person who also happened to star in all his sexual dreams and fantasies.

***

For Rey, each day spent imprisoned with Ben was easier than the last. She woke up every morning in a soft, comfortable bed to constant sunshine and a warm breeze. There was always plenty of delicious food to eat and she found herself looking forward to sharing meals with Ben. They used the time to chat, make jokes and tell stories from their childhoods. Rey did her best to soften the details of her stories, not wanting to burden Ben with her pain or evoke his pity. But as she came to know him better, Rey learned that Ben was an insightful and empathic listener. He didn’t pity her. He understood her. Unused to having a confidante, Rey started to share more and more of her life with Ben, and he was more open with her in return. There were still things they didn’t talk about, topics and issues that were too awkward or difficult to discuss. On the whole, though, Rey believed Ben knew her better than anyone.

During the course of their many conversations, Rey realized that she and Ben were both lonely. Neither had experienced the luxury of long-term friendships. Rey asked herself if she and Ben were becoming friends. Sometimes it seemed like that. But at other times, she let herself acknowledge that Ben’s feelings for her were not strictly platonic. It seemed natural that their unique status as a Force dyad made an intense connection between them inevitable. Remembering the look on his face when he’d asked her to take his hand and rule with him, Rey guessed that Ben had loved her then. And she’d been tempted to reach out and take it. Did this mean she’d loved him too? Whatever the case, a lot had happened since that day and they were in a completely different situation now.

Occasionally while they trained, Rey caught herself looking at Ben’s body and thinking about what it would be like to touch him. She recalled the strange charge that seemed to pass through them when they shook hands and his bare skin met hers. She imagined running her hands over his muscles, putting her fingers in his hair and kissing him on the mouth. She was positive she’d seen Ben looking at her too. Whenever she felt his eyes on her, Rey’s body reacted. Her heartrate increased, her nipples hardened and there was a gentle pleasant tingling between her legs. She wondered if Ben could tell when it was happening. She’d never been physically intimate with anyone and had no clear idea what it entailed aside from basic knowledge about the mechanics of sexual intercourse. She was curious about whether Ben was also a virgin. Would he know what to do? Rey didn’t allow herself to dwell on these questions. Given their current circumstances, this line of thinking was a very slippery slope. Even if she and Ben were attracted to each other, they couldn’t act on it. This would feed right into Palpatine’s plans. Palpatine, who was always watching and listening, certainly put a damper on any instinct Rey had to explore her physical desire for Ben.

Surprisingly, Palpatine’s presence, though inescapable, had been relatively passive during their long imprisonment. But halfway through their fourth month of captivity, this changed suddenly and irrevocably. One day after breakfast, uniformed First Order soldiers marched into the room, grabbed Ben by the arms and dragged him out of the door without a word. While Ben was gone, Rey spent hours pacing their prison, worrying about what might be happening to him. During her darkest moments, Rey feared that Ben might never return. She was near tears most of the day and so sick with anxiety and dread that she couldn’t eat lunch or dinner. Sixteen hours later, when the soldiers finally escorted Ben back to their prison, he found Rey on the bed with her arms wrapped around her knees, pale and trembling.

Rey immediately jumped off the bed when she saw Ben, scanning him from head to toe. Not seeing any visible damage, Rey launched into a series of rapid fire questions as soon as the soldiers were gone.

“Are you ok, Ben? What happened? What did Palpatine do to you? Did he hurt you?”

Ben, obviously exhausted, staggered to the couch and sat down. “I’m ok, Rey. He didn’t hurt me. He just wanted to ask me some questions.”

“For a whole day?” Rey said incredulously. “How could that take a whole day?”

“He had a lot of questions,” Ben responded without meeting her eyes.

“You’re lying, Ben,” Rey said with sudden intuition. She was shocked. “Why are you lying to me? I thought we were beyond this.”

Ben sighed and put his head in his hands, utterly miserable. “I’m not lying, Rey. Palpatine spent hours asking me question after question. He delights in interrogation. It’s his specialty. Along with torture,” Ben added without thinking.

Rey gasped. “Torture? Did he torture you to get information, Ben? Is that why you look like this?”

“No!” Ben yelled. When Rey blanched, he seemed even more miserable. “I’m sorry, Rey. I didn’t mean to yell. I’m just so damned tired. Having to answer thousands of questions from that monster is its own form of torture.”

Rey looked at him skeptically. “What did he want to know?”

“Everything. And nothing,” Ben said. “I think his primary objective was to determine whether I was making progress with you.”

“And what did you tell him?” Rey asked. Ben’s vague answers were making her more suspicious. He was usually pretty forthcoming.

“I told him that I thought I was making progress, that you were starting to trust me. I asked him for more time,” Ben explained.

While Rey could sense the truth of Ben’s words, she was almost certain he was holding something back. Something important. But she didn’t know how to ask him about it. And he seemed so defeated. “Did he agree? To give you more time?”

“Yes,” Ben answered. “For now. Look Rey, I know you have lots of questions, but I don’t think I can handle any more of them at the moment. Is it ok if I just go to sleep and we’ll talk in the morning?” he entreated her.

Rey heard the weariness in Ben’s voice and couldn’t help but be affected. “Of course, Ben. I understand,” she said gently. “Get some rest now.”

“Thank you,” Ben said gratefully before he lay down on the couch and closed his eyes. He was fast asleep in an instant. He didn’t even take off his shoes.

***

Rey tossed and turned in bed for hours before giving up on sleep. Resigned to being awake all night, she lay on her back with her arms behind her head and thought about the events of the day. Rey felt bewildered and confused. She wanted to believe Ben. She truly did. After all they’d been through together and the supportive relationship they’d built, it nearly broke her to think she couldn’t trust him. Rey didn’t doubt that Ben genuinely cared about her, was attracted to her and wanted to protect her from harm. There was a great deal of irrefutable proof of all these things. But after today, she couldn’t be sure that Ben wasn’t secretly trying to turn her, that they weren’t right back where they’d been after killing Snoke or that his feelings for her weren’t conditional. Rey couldn’t even be sure that Ben wasn’t still Kylo Ren. And this was absolutely devastating. Hot tears ran down her face and she put the back of her hand over her mouth to muffle the sounds of her sobs. Rey hadn’t cried like this since she was a child. She wondered if Palpatine was listening and rejoicing in her pain. It felt like he was killing her all over again.


	6. Proof

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Every morning, Ben is taken by First Order soldiers, but won't tell Rey why. He comes home very late each night looking like hell, and Rey is torn between concern for him and fear that he's plotting with Palpatine. When the soldiers drag Ben back one night, broken and bleeding, Rey realizes just how far Ben is willing to go to protect her and that she's willing to go just as far to protect him. If they're to fight together, there is only one path forward now...

Every morning for the next two weeks, soldiers came to escort Ben from the prison, leaving Rey behind. He was always gone all day and sometimes didn’t return until the early hours of the next morning. His eyes, ringed in black and bloodshot from lack of sleep, started to look hollow and haunted. And he was losing weight. Rey assumed Palpatine wasn’t feeding him during the interrogations and she stayed up each night until Ben returned to make sure that he ate. Left alone during the day, Rey tried to keep up with training and exercise. She knew it was crucial to be as prepared as possible while trapped deep in the lair of her greatest enemy. But it was harder than she anticipated to follow the routine without Ben. She was exhausted and sad and she missed him. Eventually, Rey gave up and started sleeping during the day, waking at night to wait for Ben. Her desire to spend time with him was almost as strong as her need to know what was happening.

Most nights, Ben looked so wrecked that she let him eat in peace. It felt like the height of cruelty to subject him to more questions after he’d been interrogated all day. But other nights, Rey was so frustrated with his silence, being left alone all day in a prison and fear about what Palpatine was plotting that she couldn’t resist trying to get more information from Ben. On just such a night, Rey let Ben finish his meal and then put her hand on top of his to stop him from leaving the table.

 _Ben, why won’t you tell me what’s happening_? Rey pleaded through their bond.

 _He just asks me the same questions, over and over again, Rey,_ Ben responded. _There’s nothing more to tell._

 _That’s it? Day after day, all day? It doesn’t make sense,_ she argued.

 _Why do you expect it to make sense?_ Ben countered. _Palpatine is insane. He’s trying to force us to have a child that he can turn into a super weapon._

 _I know, Ben. But if he watches us all day and night, what questions could he possibly have?_ This was the thing that Rey couldn’t wrap her head around.

 _You’d be surprised,_ Ben answered cryptically.

 _Then tell me!_ Rey shouted, finally losing her temper.

Ben just looked at her in silence, misery and despair written all over his face.

Rey tried to hold onto her anger at Ben to give her the fire she needed to demand real answers from him. But it was hard when he seemed so tired and broken. She also wanted to believe that Ben was being honest with her. The alternative was just too heartbreaking. However, it was abundantly clear that Ben was evading most of Rey’s questions and holding back important information. She just didn’t understand why. She also didn’t understand why Palpatine was only questioning Ben and not her. Predictably, Ben had no satisfying answer to that question either. It was impossible for Rey to give Ben the benefit of the doubt because of his recent history and the fact that she was so vulnerable, trapped in the Sith fortress without any means of defending herself. Ben had been very kind to her these past four months and she knew that their emotional connection was real, but a part of Rey wondered if Ben looked so desperately unhappy because he was caught between trying to serve his master and his feelings for Rey. She had no idea how to determine the truth of the matter. So she and Ben were stuck in détente and Rey felt like she was losing more and more of him each day.

On the fifteenth night of Ben’s interrogations, Rey was dosing off at the table when soldiers burst into the room holding Ben up between them before dropping him roughly to the floor.

Rey flew at them and screamed, “What did you do to him? What did you do?”

The soldiers merely pushed her away and left the room without a word. Rey ran to Ben and dropped to her knees.

“Ben, are you ok?” she asked frantically. When he didn’t answer, Rey scanned him from head to toe. Ben was unconscious and his breathing was shallow. There were livid bruises all over his face and one of his eyes was purple and swollen shut. His lip was badly split and bleeding down his chin into his shirt. Rey gently raised Ben’s blood-stained shirt and sucked in her breath. There were contusions all over his chest and abdomen. It also looked like a few of his ribs were broken. When she checked his head, she found a sizable lump. Fighting tears, Rey sat back on her heels and thought about what to do. She reminded herself that she was a veteran of many battles and had seen injuries far worse than Ben’s. It wasn’t likely that he would die from them, though he might have sustained a concussion.

Resolved on a course of action, Rey rose to her feet and went into the training room where she remembered seeing a basic first aid kit. Rey quickly returned to Ben’s side with the kit. Because Ben was too heavy for her to lift or carry, she used the Force to raise him up into the air. Then she carefully disrobed him down to his undershorts and examined the extent of the damage he’d suffered. Rey kept him levitated as she cleaned and dressed his wounds, taped his ribs and applied ointment and salve where needed. Satisfied that Ben’s immediate medical needs were attended to, she floated him over to the bed and laid him down on it. Using a towel soaked in warm water from the bathroom, Rey gently cleaned the blood from his face and body. As she wiped his cheek, Ben sighed and Rey felt a sudden surge of wild tenderness for him. In that moment, Rey knew with a certainty she hadn’t felt in years that everything Ben had done over the past two weeks was to protect her. She knew he had unequivocally rejected Palpatine and renounced the Dark Side and that he was her true ally and friend. And she knew that she would do everything in her power to keep him safe.

***

Rey stayed by Ben’s side all night, watching to make sure his breathing was regular. She sat upright in bed next to his sleeping form, holding his hand. At some point near dawn, Rey’s head started bobbing forward with fatigue and she dozed off. When she woke, her neck was incredibly stiff and Ben had his face turned towards her, staring. Rey immediately forgot about her neck.

“You’re awake. Thank god,” Rey said, leaning over to give Ben a soft kiss on his forehead.

Ben looked stunned, and it wasn’t from the head injury.

“How do you feel?” Rey asked.

Ben was silent for a few moments as he catalogued his various aches and pains. “I feel pretty sore. But all things considered, I’m great,” he answered. “You kissed me!” he added with a huge grin.

“Yes, I did,” Rey agreed, chuckling. “Are you sure you’re ok, Ben? How’s your head?”

“I’m sure I’m ok, Rey. My head feels fine,” Ben said more seriously. “I can tell you did a great job of fixing me up. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Ben,” Rey responded. “Though it’s no more than you did for me when I was wounded. Actually, it’s way less. Speaking of…” she broke off suddenly, remembering their omnipresent audience. Through their bond she said, _We need to talk privately. So I’m going to get us some breakfast and then you’re going to pretend you need to go back to sleep. I was up most of the night so I’ll pretend to sleep too._

 _Ok_ , Ben agreed.

“You must be starving, Ben. You stay in bed and I’ll bring the food to you,” Rey instructed out loud.

Ben smiled. “Breakfast in bed.”

“Yeah, don’t get used to it,” Rey said, winking at him.

Ben wondered if he might have a serious head injury after all because it almost seemed like Rey was flirting with him.

After breakfast, Ben and Rey lay down together and closed their eyes.

 _So what do you want to talk about?_ Ben asked.

Rey got straight to the point. _I know Palpatine has been torturing you. Up until yesterday, it was mental torture. Yesterday, he graduated to physical torture. I also know that you’re protecting me. I just don’t know what you’re protecting me from. I’m not going to settle for any more of your evasive non-answer bullshit, Ben. If you think I’m going to sit back and watch you get beaten to death, you don’t know me at all. Tell me what Palpatine wants or I’m going to ask him myself._

Ben was impressed despite himself. _Wow. How long have you been practicing that speech?_

 _Since last night when I knew you’d survive. Now spill,_ Rey demanded.

Ben knew Rey well enough to understand that the jig was up. He couldn’t keep putting her off. _Palpatine is angry at me because you’re not pregnant,_ Ben explained. _He doesn’t think I’m making any progress with you because we’re not having sex. He’s lost patience with me, Rey. He’s questioning my loyalty._

There was silence down the bond for a full minute. Then Rey finally spoke. _I’ve been unforgivably selfish,_ she said. _All this time you’ve been taking care of me, protecting me, not asking me to do anything I didn’t want to do. And I haven’t given one thought about the consequences for you. Will you forgive me?_

 _There’s nothing to forgive,_ Ben replied, deeply touched. _You’re imprisoned with the former Supreme Leader of the First Order. Who can blame you for refusing to go along with a plan to have my baby?_

 _Yeah, but I could at least try to make it look like I’m going along with the plan,_ Rey pointed out.

Ben was stumped. _And how would you manage that?_

Rey blushed. She’d never anticipated in a million light years that she’d be saying these words to anyone, let alone the man who used to be Kylo Ren. _We can fake having sex together._

 _Wh… Wh… What?_ Ben stammered, turning an even darker shade of red than Rey. _Fake sex?_

 _Surely it’s possible,_ Rey said. She was incredibly embarrassed and Ben wasn’t making this any easier. _I mean we take our clothes off, get under the sheets and… you know, act like we’re having sex. How hard can that be?_

 _No pun intended,_ Ben quipped.

 _Huh_? Rey replied.

 _Never mind_ , Ben muttered. This was going to be even more difficult than he thought. But he was very moved by Rey’s efforts to protect him from Palpatine and had to acknowledge that they didn’t have many other viable options. _How the fuck am I supposed to do this without completely losing control?_ Ben asked himself. _At best, I’ll have a raging hard on and she’ll know. At worst… I can’t even think about that. I’m going to have to prepare myself._

 _Are you still there, Ben?_ Rey was starting to worry about Ben’s reaction. Had she shocked him? Offended him?

 _Yes,_ Ben answered.

 _Yes, you’re still here or yes to the plan?_ Rey asked.

 _Yes to both,_ Ben clarified. _But we’re going to have to set this whole thing up very carefully. Choregraph it, yeah?_

 _Of course, Ben,_ Rey agreed _. I’ll follow your lead. You probably know a lot more about these things than I do._ Rey was ashamed to admit how ignorant she was about sex but realized she needed to level with Ben in order for them to pull this off.

 _Ok,_ Ben said. _So while I recover, we’ll plan it out step-by-step. I want this to be as comfortable for you as possible. And I need you to know that it’s going to be awkward as hell no matter how much preparation we do, Rey._

Rey had guessed as much, but she appreciated Ben’s candor. _I trust you, Ben. I know I’m in good hands. Pun intended,_ she added.

 _Ha,_ Ben replied. _Thanks for your vote of confidence._ He prayed he would justify the faith Rey was placing in him when the time came. Meanwhile, he had a lot of practicing to do.


	7. The First Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's finally showtime, folks. Rey and Ben enact their plan to fool Palpatine by faking sex. Things take an interesting and entirely predictable turn.

On the first night of their performance, Ben and Rey stripped off their clothes with their backs to each other. Ben initially suggested they get into bed fully dressed to make it easier for Rey, but she argued that disrobing in bed would actually be more awkward. She also reasoned that Palpatine would be more likely to believe them if he could see that they were naked. Once in bed, Ben lay on top of Rey as planned. They avoided making eye contact, too embarrassed by what they were doing to look at each other. Ben remained motionless for several long moments until Rey became impatient and told him to get going. Ben started to pantomime the act of sex while Rey remained still and stoic beneath him. They’d agreed she shouldn’t seem too eager at first because such a sudden shift in her attitude about the pregnancy plan would be suspicious.

After faking sex with Ben for a week, Rey started to relax a bit during the ritual. She no longer felt as shy being naked with him in bed and experimented with shifting her body to make things more comfortable for them. She even risked a glance at his face occasionally. Ben’s eyes were always screwed tightly shut and she wondered if he found the experience unpleasant. Though Rey was sexually inexperienced herself, she’d been around enough young men to know that most were always thinking about sex and not particularly picky when it came to satisfying their lust. She recalled some junk traders on Jakku who even joked about getting loaded and fucking female happabores. Ben, on the other hand, was very careful not to touch her any more than absolutely necessary. She guessed that he didn’t find their performances arousing because the act was so staged and the reason for it so distressing. The other possibility, that Ben found Rey sexually unappealing, was surprisingly painful for her to consider.

Three weeks in, Rey suggested they switch positions. She thought it would look unnatural if they always had sex the same way every time. Ben seemed very uneasy about the plan, but with a lot of coaxing from Rey, he eventually agreed to it. As soon as Rey sat atop Ben while they were both completely naked, he realized he’d made a huge mistake. In this position, their genitals made direct skin-to-skin contact. Ben used all of his training and considerable self-discipline to attempt to subdue his natural response to the feel of Rey’s moist warmth directly on his cock. But he started to harden nonetheless, putting pressure on a spot between Rey’s legs she’d never paid much attention to in the past. All too aware of it now, her body responded in completely unanticipated ways. She was soaking wet and pulsing. Ben, acutely sensitized to Rey’s physical reactions, groaned softly and became completely hard. He held himself absolutely still, unsure of what to do and afraid to spook Rey.

Rey, overwhelmed by sensations she didn’t remember experiencing before, allowed instinct to take over. She started to move herself back and forth over Ben’s erection and he groaned more loudly. Rey closed her eyes and continued to move against Ben, panting and moaning. He fisted his hands in the sheets, watching Rey as she arched her back, breasts and stiff nipples jutting out. Ben was completely overcome by his pure, unadulterated lust for Rey. He wanted to kiss and suck her hard red nipples into his mouth but didn’t dare move or make any noise for fear of snapping Rey out of her sensual trance. They continued this wordless interaction until Rey’s movements became more frantic and she ground harder against Ben to reach some unknowable but essential end. Seeing and feeling her climax, Ben couldn’t stop himself from coming with her. It was the most intense orgasm he’d ever experienced despite the fact that he wasn’t even inside her.

When Rey opened her eyes again, she saw Ben staring up at her in amazement. She immediately jumped off of him, grabbed a sheet from the bed and ran to the bathroom where she slammed the door. Ben was horrified. He was sure Rey detested him now for what had just happened between them. He’d promised he would control himself, but had failed spectacularly. He followed her to the bathroom and could hear her sobbing as if her heart would break.

 _Rey, I’m so sorry I let it go that far_ , he said down the bond.

_Go away, Ben!_ Rey yelled. 

_Rey, please,_ Ben pleaded. _Hate me if you want. You have every right. But they can see what you’re doing and hear you crying. Palpatine is watching._

Instead of responding, Rey opened the door to the bathroom to allow Ben entrance. Then she started to run the bathwater.

“I’m sorry, Ben. I just felt a little sick for a moment. I’m fine now.” Rey took a few deep breaths after making this brief speech for Palpatine’s benefit. Then she wiped the tears from her face and put her hand under the running hot water tap, refusing to meet Ben’s eyes.

Ben placed his fingers under Rey’s chin, forcing her to look at him. “No need to apologize,” he said, scanning her eyes. “I was just worried about you.” _What’s really upsetting you, Rey?_

Rey got into the tub and began scrubbing herself roughly using a sponge soaked with scalding hot water. Her skin immediately turned bright red. When Ben saw the steam, he was alarmed. He turned on the cold water tap and started stirring the water around the tub with his hand to regulate the temperature.

 _I’m going to jump in there with you if you don’t stop trying to boil yourself alive and tell me what’s going on_ , Ben threatened.

 _I’m embarrassed_ , Rey whispered down the bond. _We were supposed to be pretending, but I acted like some wild rutting animal. I’m a Jedi. I was trained to master all of my physical desires. How could I let myself lose control like that?_

Ben was flabbergasted by the reason for Rey’s distress. He picked up a bar of soap and started washing her back gently to mask the silent conversation they were having. _Jedi or not, the way you responded was perfectly natural, Rey. I got hard and you got wet. Your genitals were stimulated and you had an orgasm. So did I. Simple as that._

She regarded him with deep skepticism. _Then why were you looking at me like that?_

 _Like what?_ Ben asked, genuinely confused.

 _Like you didn’t know me? Like I was a complete stranger?_ Rey felt on the verge of tears again.

Ben struggled to remember the immediate aftermath of their simultaneous orgasms. He’d been in some sort of sexual coma. _If that’s what it seemed like to you, Rey, I’m truly sorry. I was just surprised._

Rey stifled a sob. _Because I disgusted you._

 _You’re crazy, Rey! Why would you ever think that?_ Ben was becoming irritated by Rey’s seemingly willful obtuseness about the effect she had on him.

 _Because I disgust myself!_ Rey practically shouted down the bond. _I’ve never done anything like that before. I didn’t even know what I was doing. And I made such a mess._

 _What mess?_ Ben had no idea what she was talking about.

 _There was all that slime and goo at the end._ Rey was glad she didn’t have to say the words aloud.

Ben’s face burned red. She was so brave and so powerful that he didn’t realize that she was still young and inexperienced about a great many things. He felt the familiar need to protect her. _Rey, you didn’t make that mess. I did._

 _I don’t believe you. You’re lying,_ she insisted.

 _I’m not._ Ben sighed, now resigned to the fact that he had to spell everything out. _That’s what happens when I have an orgasm. You didn’t know that I came?_

 _No. I’ve never been with a man before_ , Rey said, ashamed and defiant. _I have no idea what it’s like when you come._ _No one ever told me about these things. And you were just lying there._

 _Like I said before, I was surprised_ , Ben repeated.

Rey hung her head, stung by his words.

 _Surprised, but not disgusted_ , Ben clarified. He longed to pull Rey towards him, to hold her in his arms until she understood just how deliriously grateful he was for any sign that she wanted him that way. But when he reached out to touch Rey’s cheek, she recoiled. Dismayed by her rejection, Ben made one last attempt to reassure her. _You have no reason to judge yourself, Rey. This is just what human bodies do. It’s not about you or me. This happens to everyone. It doesn’t mean anything._

Rey digested Ben’s words. She knew he was being kind, but something in what he said didn’t ring true. And hearing him dismiss their physical intimacy as an impersonal biological instinct didn’t ease the pain and turmoil she felt. It should have made her feel better to know that what happened between them didn’t mean anything. It should have, but it didn’t.


	8. The Whole Delightful Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey is mortified about "slipping up" during their performance and Ben is determined to do everything he can to make her feel better about it. Very determined.

The next day, Rey and Ben resumed their normal routine without their usual banter or energy. They were both subdued and unhappy, and when it was time for their nightly “sex”, Rey simply changed into her sleeping clothes, got into bed and turned off the light. Ben laid down on his couch and tried to sleep. But his stomach was in knots and he twisted and turned for the better part of two hours until Rey slipped out of bed and tiptoed past him to the bathroom. Ben could hear the sound of muffled sobs from behind the closed door so he got off the couch to investigate. He knocked lightly on the door and was met with silence.

 _Rey, I know you’re still upset. Please tell me what to say or do to make this better_ , Ben pleaded.

 _It’s not your fault, Ben,_ Rey answered. _I don’t know what’s wrong with me._

 _There’s nothing wrong with you, Rey_ , Ben asserted. _I can sense that something I said or did hurt you. I’m asking you to trust me enough to tell me._

 _I honestly don’t know, Ben_ , Rey said. _After what happened between us last night, I was so ashamed. And I know hearing that it didn’t matter to you should have calmed me. But somehow it just made things worse._

 _I was lying_ , Ben said quickly before he could change his mind.

 _What?_ Rey barked down their bond.

Ben prayed that this leap of faith would not end in disaster. _I lied. Being with you like that mattered to me. It mattered a lot._

 _Really?_ Rey instantly felt the truth of his words. She should have been alarmed at how much lighter she felt, but she wasn’t. _Why did you lie?_

 _Because I never expected anything like that to happen between us_ , Ben explained. _And when it did, you were more upset than I’ve ever seen you. I thought you’d go back to hating me. So I lied to keep you from knowing that I’d betrayed you._

 _Betrayed me? How did you betray me?_ Rey demanded.

 _By responding the way I did when you touched me_ , Ben said.

Rey, relieved by Ben’s strange definition of betrayal, also thought he was being nonsensical. _If you don’t blame me for what I did, how can you blame yourself for the way you responded?_

 _Because I’m older and far more experienced than you_ , Ben said as if it was it the most obvious thing in the world. _I should have known better than to let you get on top of me. I was completely unprepared for what that would be like. I tried to control my body, but I couldn’t._

 _You could have fooled me_ , Rey said ruefully. _I was the one who started everything._

 _You had no idea what you were doing. It was my responsibility to stop you. But it felt so fucking good, Rey. I thought I would die if you stopped. Nothing’s ever felt that good before. And knowing that it felt good for you too was simply more than I..._ Ben broke off. He couldn’t believe he was telling her this. Like last night, he felt powerless to control his behavior. “In for a penny, in for a pound,” he whispered before continuing to confess to Rey through their bond. _I told myself I was only allowed to watch you, that it had to be enough. But I couldn’t stop myself from coming. I’ve never come that hard in my life._

Rey didn’t speak for a few moments, processing this new information. Realizing that Ben had been affected so powerfully during their physical encounter was both comforting and exciting. She’d made him come. The thought triggered tingling between her legs.

 _It’s the first time I've done anything like that,_ Rey acknowledged. _I get why people are so obsessed with it_. _But Palpatine was probably watching. He stole this from me too._

Ben nodded as angry tears ran down his face. Rey sensed this. _Why are you crying, Ben?_

 _Because I care about you_ , he said. _And I didn’t want it to be like this for you._

 _It’s ok, Ben. With everything else that’s going on, this isn’t important._ It wasn’t lost on Rey that now the tables were turned and she was the one doing the soothing.

But Ben was unconvinced. _Damn it, Rey! It was your first sexual experience. And I’m honored that it happened to be with me. I’m not going to let that twisted bastard ruin this for you._

 _What do you mean?_ Rey asked.

 _I mean that if you’ll let me, I can make you feel like that again without him knowing_ , Ben offered. He hadn’t allowed himself to ask her this question before now. But he needed to know if she felt even the tiniest fraction of desire for him, Ben. Not some random male she was trapped with.

Rey was intrigued despite herself. _How is that even possible?_

Ben’s voice in her mind was soft and suggestive. _I’m going to run a bubble bath for you. It’s dark in here and the bubbles will cover your entire body. Then I’m going to touch you all over. No one will be able to see what I’m doing_.

Rey’s face heated and she swallowed loudly. _How do you know no one will see?_

 _Because I’ve been locking myself in here almost every night after you fall asleep to touch myself. To make myself come_ , Ben explained. He was beyond keeping any sexual secrets from her now. _If Palpatine even had the slightest inkling of what I was up to, he would be torturing me with that information._

Rey was shocked. _You do that?_

 _Yes. I’m extremely attracted to you, Rey. It’s hard living with you, being around you, pretending to have sex with you. If I didn’t touch myself, I wouldn’t be able to keep from touching you_ , Ben admitted. _And I knew you didn’t want that. With me._

 _I think I’m having a change of heart,_ Rey whispered down the bond. _I do want that with you, Ben._

Ben’s cock twitched in response. _Thank all that is holy and good in this universe,_ he thought to himself. To Rey he said, _You have no idea how happy that makes me. Now lie back and relax. Let me take care of you._

*******

True to his word, Ben filled the tub with warm water and bubbles. After Rey undressed and lowered herself into the suds, he lathered his hands with the bar of soap and began gently washing her body, starting with her upper back. When he reached her breasts, Ben’s hands were shaking. He’d wanted to touch them for so long. He felt like he had to get his hands and mouth on every part of her body right now, this instant, and the effort it took to restrain himself would have made his old Jedi master laugh. Thinking of Luke Skywalker was like swimming in a freezing lake and helped Ben to calm down. Rey’s next words, however, sent Ben reeling again.

 _You’re cold_ , she said. _Get into the water with me_.

 _Are you sure?_ Ben asked. This was definitely too good to be true.

 _Yes. Please, Ben_ , Rey insisted.

Ben didn’t need to be asked more than twice. He stripped off his clothes and climbed into the tub behind Rey, pulling her against his body. She could feel his hard length on her ass and lower back.

 _Is that for me?_ Rey asked down the bond, moving even closer to him.

“Yes, Rey,” he whispered in her ear. “Only for you.” Then Ben proceeded to massage Rey’s breasts with both hands, gently rolling her nipples between his fingers. She gasped and he continued his ministrations. Rey began to wriggle against his erection and Ben was seized by the urge to lift her up and onto his shuddering cock. But she was a virgin and he didn’t want to take her here, in their shared prison. Trying to distract himself, Ben wondered if he could make Rey come just by stimulating her nipples. But he was too eager to touch her in other places and let one hand slide between her legs where he explored her lips and ridges. Rey leaned her head back against his shoulder and groaned. _Oh Rey_ , he crooned to her, _you’re so silky and soft._

 _It feels good, Ben. So good._ Rey shifted her hips so that Ben’s thumb brushed over the spot that screamed loudest for stimulation. When he touched her there, she cried out.

_Yeah, Rey? Like that? Do you like it when I touch your clit?_

She moaned in response as he pinched and rolled her clit between his thumb and forefinger. When he started to rub her in a slow, circular motion, Rey began to emit rhythmic noises from deep in her throat. Ben wanted so badly to drive Rey to distraction, just as she’d been doing to him for all this time. He ached to fuck her with his tongue and have her mouth all over him. The image of her perfectly formed lips wrapped around his cock…

 _I need to taste you, Rey_ , he said. Without further warning, he jumped up out of the tub and grabbed all the available towels to make a nest on the bathroom floor. Rey, unsure of Ben’s plans, cried out in protest.

 _Don’t worry_ , he cooed seductively. _I’m going to make you scream my name down the bond._

Then he helped her out of the bathtub and gently laid her on her back. Before she could ask what was happening, Ben had Rey’s legs splayed wide open and his mouth buried between them. Rey fisted her hand in her mouth to stop herself from crying out loud. Ben licked and nibbled and sucked her clit until her legs started to quake. She grabbed his head to keep him right where he was and bucked her clit against his tongue until she came, wave after wave of the most intense sensual pleasure emanating from her core to the rest of her body. On the crest of the first wave, Rey fulfilled one of Ben’s most potent fantasies by screaming his name down their bond. His cock jumped and he moved a hand down to stroke it, though his single-minded focus on Rey did not waver. He kept licking and sucking and nibbling at her until the waves of her orgasm subsided and her body stopped trembling. But Ben was not satisfied yet. He kept his tongue in place and brought her up once more, working her clit relentlessly while Rey clamped her thighs around his head so tightly that all he could hear was Rey repeating his name over and over again through their bond.

When Rey regained her senses, she was aware that Ben had let his defenses slip and she could feel everything he was feeling. He was almost out of his mind with arousal, pumping himself in his hand while he inhaled her scent and replayed the sound of her saying his name as she came. He’d gotten himself off so many times in the past imagining it.

 _Roll over_ , she commanded. Ben complied without hesitation, his hand still wrapped around himself. _Let me do that_ , she said. Then, without preamble, Rey reached over and took hold of Ben’s cock, replacing his hand with her own. She heard Ben’s sharp intake of breath and tentatively started to run her hand up and down his erection. When he groaned, her movements became more confident.

 _Rey, you don’t have to_ … but Ben’s words snapped off instantaneously when she tightened her grip on him and moved her mouth to his tip, tasting the precum collected in the small indentation there. He gasped.

Rey used her bond with Ben to help guide her mouth and hand, stroking, kissing and sucking him in the ways that stimulated him most. She swallowed him as far as she could and used her hand to make up the difference whenever she wasn’t able to take him down to the root. Rey occasionally varied the pumping motion of her mouth and hand by licking and nibbling the top and sides of his cock, enjoying the baby soft skin there. Ben whimpered unintelligibly as he experienced the indescribably exquisite sensations of something he hadn’t even dared to fantasize about. Well, not that much. Well, at least not every night. He tried to hold out for as long as possible, but the feel of her hands and her mouth on him were just too...

 _Fuck!_ _I’m gonna come in your mouth if you keep doing that. It’s so good._ _I’m gonna come so fucking hard for you, Rey,_ he babbled in warning and praise.

And she kept going, aroused by his lustful profanity and the effect she had on him. Soon Ben was convulsing and shooting down her throat while he moaned her name through their bond. It was the sexiest thing Rey had ever heard.


	9. One and Not Done

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The title is pretty self-explanatory.

_More_ , Ben said when he could breathe again. He pushed Rey back onto the towels and hovered over her until his face was inches from hers. _We’ve never kissed. Can I kiss you, Rey?_ Ben asked.

“Yes,” Rey whispered out loud. “Kiss me, Ben.”

Ben slowly lowered his mouth to hers, his lips grazing Rey’s so softly she wasn’t sure it had really happened. But there was no mistaking when he fit his mouth more firmly onto hers and touched the bottom of her upper lip with the tip of his tongue. Rey sighed. Ben pulled away.

“Is this ok, Rey?” Ben asked out loud, his voice low and thick.

Rey nodded. _It feels like such a relief._

Ben nodded in agreement. _I know exactly what you mean._

He put his hands on both sides of Rey’s face and bent his mouth to hers again, gently taking her bottom lip between both of his. Rey opened her mouth to him and their kissing quickly intensified from soft and exploratory to urgent. They could taste themselves on each other's tongues. Ben pressed his body into hers and Rey ran her hands through his hair, moving against him in a way that drove him utterly mad. Their bodies were now perfectly aligned and Rey hooked her legs around Ben’s lower back, grinding into him. Ben grunted softly in response, his erection throbbing between them.

 _I’m already hard for you again_ , Ben said in amazement. Rey reached for him and started to guide the tip of his cock into her, rubbing it against her clit first. She moaned. Ben froze. _We can’t risk you getting pregnant, Rey._

 _I’m trained to regulate my cycles, Ben. All female Jedis are. I can’t get pregnant by accident_ , Rey assured him. _I just couldn’t trust you enough to tell you before now._

Ben was too preoccupied to fully comprehend the implications of this information grenade. His blinding desire for Rey warred with his instinct to keep her safe. _Are you sure you want this?_

 _Yes._ Rey said. _No. I don’t know. I just want… I need…_ She gripped Ben’s ass with both hands and pulled him in before either of them had a chance to object. He was so hard and she was so wet and they both gasped at the contact as Ben entered her. Though Rey was a virgin, there was no resistance when he pushed all the way into her.

 _Rey,_ Ben groaned when he was fully submerged. He tilted his hips upward and Rey made a small high-pitched noise. _Yeah?_ Ben asked, intensely aroused by the sound. _Like that?_ Ben repeated the motion. Rey moaned in response and Ben, worried it would all be over too soon, started to thrust slowly, in and out, rocking his hips upward to stimulate Rey’s clit when he was as deep as he could go. He watched Rey through their bond as he moved. Her legs were hitched around his waist, mouth open and eyes closed. It was surreal. He couldn’t believe this was really happening. Rey opened her eyes, grabbed Ben’s head and kissed him with a ferocity he’d never imagined she was capable of. Ben resisted Rey’s attempts to increase the tempo of his thrusts until he felt her legs go rigid as she sucked in her breath and held it. At the moment she started to come, Ben pressed his lips against hers and groaned his own climax into her mouth. Rey put her hands on the small of his back and pulled him further into her. Both wanted to get as close to the other as possible, straining against each other and grinding out their orgasms. They stayed like this for a while, glued together and panting into each other’s mouths.

***

Later, as Rey lay on her side nuzzling Ben’s neck, she became curious again. _How did you do that to me?_ she asked. _Did someone teach you?_

Ben chuckled at the thought, combing his fingers through her long hair. _No. It’s you and me, Rey. It’s the way we’re bonded to each other. I’ve been with other women before, but I’ve never felt this connected to anyone but you._

Rey smiled against Ben’s neck. _How long have you felt this way?_

 _For a long time_ , Ben said and planted a gentle kiss on the top of her head.

_Then why didn't you say anything?_ she asked. 

_Would it have mattered?_ Ben asked softly. Rey didn't respond. _Yeah, I figured that_ , Ben said, answering his own question. _I could tell you never let yourself think about how our relationship might change. But things shifted for me the moment I laid eyes on you. I'd never had such powerful sexual feelings before I met you. Believe me, at first it felt strange and wrong. I tried to push it down. But I couldn’t help it, Rey. I wanted you so badly._

Rey blew a raspberry on Ben’s shoulder. _You were pretty good at hiding it most of the time._

 _Really? I thought you could see right through me,_ Ben said, surprised. _Don't you remember when we defeated Snoke and I asked you to take my hand and rule beside me?_

Rey nodded her head. _And I said no._

 _But I loved you for it, Rey, even though I was burning inside. There was something about the way you said it. You had this strange expression, like you were looking right through me. And what you saw didn't repel you. I felt you sort of… warm to me_. Ben struggled to find the right word for something he didn’t really understand himself. _But then you shut it down so quickly._

 _Warm to you?_ This expression intrigued Rey, though Ben’s use of the word “love” caught her attention too.

 _It’s hard to describe_ , Ben acknowledged. _It was like this intense sensual energy directed right at me. It’s pretty fucking addictive. And I’ve never seen you do that with anyone else. Otherwise I would have given up on my fantasies about you years ago._

 _Hmmm. I’m not sure what to think of all this,_ Rey replied. But she knew exactly what Ben was talking about. In fact, if she was being completely honest with herself, she’d been aware of the complexity of her feelings towards Kylo Ren for quite a while. She’d probably been drawn to him from the start and he’d intuited this somehow.

Ben continued, _Well, you asked how I knew what to do to make you feel good. It’s our connection through the Force. It’s like I could sense what your body wanted, what turned you on when you were distracted and your guard was down. And that didn’t happen very often_ … he drifted off for a moment, lost in some memory. _But when it did happen, when I could feel your arousal, it made me crazy._

 _Crazy?_ Rey raised her eyebrow.

 _Yes_ , Ben said. _I was determined to control myself. I did, too. Until the night you woke up in our prison and I comforted you._ Ben steeled himself for Rey’s reaction to this bombshell.

But Rey didn’t understand the implication of Ben’s words. _You mean last night?_

_No. I’m referring to something you don’t remember. Your first night here. With me._

Rey sensed Ben’s remorse and shame and knew she should probably be quite concerned about what he would say next, but she wasn’t. _Tell me what happened._

 _I will. But I’m scared_ , Ben confessed.

 _Don’t be scared. I trust you, Ben_ , Rey said.

Ben knew Rey wasn’t lying to him. He decided to trust her in return. _After Palpatine killed you and I brought you back, you were very weak_ , Ben began.

 _Yes_ , Rey said. _And you had to nurse me back to health while I was unconscious. You already told me this._

 _What I didn’t tell you is that you weren’t completely unconscious the whole time_ , Ben clarified.

 _No?_ Rey lifted an eyebrow again.

 _No_ , Ben continued. _In fact, the first night we were here together, you seemed to wake up. You were sick and delirious and started to sob against a wall._

Rey snorted. _How dignified of me._

 _Give yourself a break_ , Ben admonished _. You’d just died. Anyway_ , _you seemed so sad and lost that I couldn’t leave you to cry by yourself. Plus, you looked like you could pass out at any moment._

 _So what did you do?_ Rey asked.

 _I approached you and embraced you from behind_ , Ben answered. _I was trying to hold you up so you didn’t fall to the ground._

 _That doesn’t sound so diabolical_ , Rey observed. _And?_

 _And you thought I was a ghost._ Ben winced as he remembered Rey calling him Kylo. _You didn’t believe I was really there. So I stroked your neck. And you reacted._

It was Rey’s turn to wince. _How did I react?_

 _Sort of like you did last night_ , Ben said, refraining from providing more details.

 _Wow_ , Rey sighed, shaking her head. _So last night wasn’t the first time I completely humiliated myself. Even dead on my feet, I still managed to act like a sex-crazed animal._

 _You weren’t the animal, Rey_ , Ben argued. _I’m the one who took advantage of you in that state._

 _What exactly did you do?_ Rey was tired of innuendo and wanted specifics.

Ben took a deep breath. _I touched your breasts, between your legs. I fingered you and almost made you come._

 _Almost?_ Rey was confused.

 _I didn’t finish_ , he explained.

 _So, you stopped yourself_ , Rey pointed out.

 _Not because of any heroic self-control on my part_ , Ben insisted. _It was the opposite. I was so aroused that just before I was about to get you off, I came all over your back. Talk about humiliation. I couldn't get away from you fast enough._ Just saying the words made Ben’s face burn.

Instead of being angry, Rey was gratified to hear further evidence of her sexual power over Ben _. It’s strange,_ she said wonderingly _. I had no conscious memory of this until you told me just now, but it seems familiar. In fact, I’m pretty sure I enjoyed it at the time._

 _Yeah?_ Ben asked, his eyes widening with surprise and pleasure. He rolled onto his side to face her.

 _Don’t say that word again_ , Rey pleaded. _You make **me** crazy whenever you do._

_What word?_

_‘Yeah.’_ _You sometimes say that while we’re… do you remember?_

 _Yeah_ , Ben said knowingly, quite pleased with himself. He was absolutely delighted about Rey's response to his confession and her admission of his effect on her. Rey felt a bit shy until Ben moved her hand to his stiffening cock. _Like I said, when you’re aroused, I’m aroused. Probably more so. Definitely more so._ He bent his mouth to her breasts, took one nipple between his lips and pinched the other between his fingers. _Your breasts are fucking perfect, Rey. I’ve been wanting to do this forever_ , he murmured down the bond. Rey groaned and Ben increased the pressure of his sucking while he moved his other hand down between her legs. He dipped his fingers inside her to gather the moisture there and moved them up to her hard clit. Rey’s breaths turned to gasps as Ben used his slick fingers to rub her in a slow circle while licking and sucking her nipple. _Yeah, is that good, baby? Is that gonna make you come on my fingers?_ he cooed. When she started to moan and tilt her hips toward him, Ben rubbed and sucked her harder and faster. _Come for me, baby,_ he urged her. _I wanna hear you say my name when you come._

 _Ben!_ Rey cried down their bond and sank her teeth into his shoulder right as she free fell over the edge in a series of powerful contractions.

 _That's right, baby. You are so fucking sexy_ , Ben purred as he felt her spasming against his fingers. _I love to hear you come._

 _And I love to hear you talk while we..._ Rey panted. Even in the midst of an orgasm, she was still too embarrassed to say the words.

Ben chuckled. _You like my filthy mouth when we fuck. That's good, Rey, because you bring it out in me. And if I have my way, you'll be hearing my dirty mouth a lot._

 _Y_ _ou can keep right on talking,_ _Ben,_ Rey said as she rolled him onto his back and straddled him. _We've got all night._


	10. Confession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caught up in their desire for each other, Rey and Ben are running out of time. Ben comes up with a very dangerous plan to kill Palpatine before he kills them and Rey reluctantly agrees to go along with it because she can't think of any other options. As the stakes ratchet up, so do emotions. Open communication about their feelings for each other has never been our fearless couple's strong suit. It remains to be seen whether they'll finally get it together before their lethal confrontation with Darth Sidious.

Over the next few weeks, Ben and Rey had to work very hard to remember how they’d behaved towards each other before they were lovers. They both knew how important it was not to let Palpatine see their growing emotional and physical intimacy since he was already highly suspicious of Ben. But it was a significant challenge for them not to caress and kiss each other all day when they were trapped in a relatively small space during the honeymoon phase of their relationship. They started to live for their nights in the bathroom where they could finally give in to their desire to make love and express their tenderness and affection for each other. Rey and Ben found training together particularly difficult. Seeing the other’s beautiful body in motion often proved irresistible and Ben found himself frequently correcting Rey’s stances as an excuse to put his hands on her. Rey, whose stances were textbook, knew exactly what he was up to and didn’t object. She took her revenge by finding ways to brush up against Ben’s cock as they sparred. Ben spent a lot of his time in the training room gritting his teeth and using his ability to control his blood flow to stop himself from becoming erect.

Because they assumed Palpatine had no idea they were having sex in the bathroom every night, Ben and Rey were compelled to continue their daily performances for his benefit. Though they were being observed, Rey and Ben couldn’t stop themselves from becoming genuinely aroused when they were pretending to have sex. Once, Ben accidentally slipped into Rey because she was always wet and he was always hard. They both moaned and allowed themselves the luxury of a few authentic thrusts before Ben pulled out. As soon as they finished acting for Palpatine, they’d turn off the lights and feign sleep for a few minutes before creeping into the bathroom. They made love half the night until they were both chafed and sore, just managing to take the edge off in order to survive the next day. They learned to live on very little sleep.

 _I’m worried that all of this sex will make me soft_ , Ben said with his cock buried in Rey as she sat perched atop him on their towel nest in the bathroom. They’d both already come, but didn’t want to physically separate yet.

 _Think we should stop?_ Rey asked, though she knew the answer already.

 _Absolutely not!_ Ben objected, appalled at the notion. He ducked his head to give Rey a gentle nip on her nipple and she yelped in surprise. _I just don’t want us to forget that we’re still prisoners. Being with you like this and having all of our basic needs met is killing my motivation to get out of here._

 _It’s not that easy to forget we’re prisoners when we have to fake sex every night and keep our hands off each other all day_ , Rey complained.

 _That hard to keep your hands off me?_ Ben smirked.

 _You know it is_ , Rey said seriously.

 _Yeah_ , Ben agreed. _I do know. Now why are you so far away?_ Ben asked, pulling Rey down towards him.

Rey gently kissed Ben’s forehead, cheeks and nose before settling on his mouth. She traced his upper lip with her tongue and when Ben’s mouth opened, she sucked his tongue into her own mouth. Ben surrendered himself to Rey and the sucking sensation which mirrored the experience of being inside her as she was coming. He was still inside her now and everything felt so good that he hardened and started to thrust his cock up further into Rey. Rey gripped Ben’s hips tightly with her thighs and rode him slowly. Since it was the third time they’d had sex that night, they lasted longer than usual. Rey refused to release Ben’s tongue until she’d swallowed the sounds of his orgasm. Once their breathing returned to normal, Ben looked up at Rey in awe.

 _You are unbelievably beautiful_ , he said.

 _You can barely see me in the dark_ , Rey responded. _And you’re just biased_.

 _Why?_ Ben asked. _Because I’m in love with you?_

Rey’s mouth dropped open. Ben felt an instant surge of panic and scrambled to think of ways to undo what he’d done. But just as suddenly, he gave up.

 _Fuck it all to hell_ , Ben told Rey. _I probably just doomed this whole thing. But I can’t take it back._ Ben inhaled deeply. _I’m in love with you, Rey. Madly in love. It’ll break my heart if that scares you off, but it is what it is._

Rey didn’t know what to say, so she didn’t say anything. She kissed Ben gently on the lips and lay down on top of him. For his part, Ben figured it was a split decision regarding Rey’s reaction to his declaration of love. She hadn’t shrieked in horror and run from the room, but she also hadn’t said it back. _I guess it’s not the worst thing in the world to be used as a sex object by the girl of your dreams_ , he thought to himself. Then he closed his eyes and tried to sleep.

***

Ben was pensive the next morning and Rey worried that she may have done some serious damage by not returning his declaration of love. She didn’t know why she couldn’t say it. Perhaps it was the complicated and dangerous situation they were in, and that everything seemed to be happening so quickly. Or maybe she was simply a coward. When Rey thought about the people she truly cared about, it was a very short list and Ben was unquestionably at the top of it. She had no trouble telling Finn and Poe that she loved them before or after battles, though Poe always brushed her off with a joke. But Ben was a different matter altogether. He wasn’t just her friend or her comrade. They shared an extremely rare kind of bond through the Force and understood each other in ways that no one else could. Not even Luke or Leia comprehended what it was like to feel as if you were one half of the same person. Rey’s intense sexual relationship with Ben only magnified her connection to him and when they made love, it seemed as if they were fused and she couldn’t map the boundaries between them anymore. For someone who’d had no one to rely on for most of her life, the experience of losing herself in another was terrifying.

While Rey pondered her inability to express her feelings, Ben was not pining away. He was planning. Despite his bravado last night, Ben realized that the mock sex wouldn’t satisfy Palpatine for long. Soon, Palpatine would want to see the fruit of their labors. When Rey didn’t become pregnant in the next month or so, Palpatine would likely kill them both. Ben was painfully aware that he and Rey couldn’t afford to wait any longer to plot their escape. The first step was up to him. The Sith fortress on Exegol was vast, but Ben knew it fairly well. Suspecting that Palpatine had not destroyed their lightsabers, Ben tried to guess where they might be located. After considering and rejecting many possibilities, Ben decided that the armory room closest to the Sith Throne was the likeliest place. Once Ben settled on this, the next step was to talk to Rey. He waited until it was time to train.

As they entered the training room, Ben said, “Let’s start with meditation today.”

Rey looked at him questioningly but nodded her head.

Once they were seated in meditation poses with their eyes closed, Ben explained his plan. _I’ve been thinking about a way for us to get out of here. We need to make our move soon._

Rey’s breakfast suddenly felt very heavy in her stomach. _Ok. What did you have in mind?_

 _We sneak out of our rooms at night and find our lightsabers. I have a good idea of where they might be,_ Ben explained. _Then we’re going to hide them in here until Palpatine meets with his followers in the Throne Room. Those meetings run like clockwork at the same time every night so we won’t have to go searching for him. If we fight him together, I think we can defeat him._

It was very hard for Rey to maintain her meditation pose and her composure while she listened to Ben. _That sounds like a shot in a million,_ she said. _How do you propose we get out of this prison?_

 _We’ll use mind control to lure the guard here in the middle of the night. Then we’ll take his key and his com, tie him, gag him and lock him in here. When we come back, we’ll wipe his memory. Simple as pie,_ Ben laughed grimly.

Rey exhaled loudly. _If pie is a euphemism for certain death, then I fully agree with you. But,_ she added, _you’re right. Palpatine will be expecting his Sith monster baby and when I don’t deliver, I’m dead again for good. But you don’t need to die, Ben. You have to convince him that it was all my fault and that you’re still his loyal servant._

 _If you think I’m going to sit back and watch him kill you for the second time, you don’t know me at all,_ Ben almost shouted down the bond. _And that was a terrible pun._

Rey sighed in resignation. _The pun was unintentional._ _And I hate it when people use my own words against me._

 _Well, that’s what happens when you say really smart and idiotic things at the same time,_ Ben huffed.

Rey couldn’t help laughing. _That made no sense at all._

 _You know what I mean, Rey,_ Ben said. _I’m not going to let you take all the blame. We’re in this thing together all the way or not at all._

 _Ok, Ben,_ Rey agreed. But secretly, she prayed she could figure out a way to ensure that Ben lived. A world without Ben - Rey shuddered and attempted to focus and ground herself using the ancient Jedi breathing techniques Luke taught her. And though she may have seemed calm and centered to any outside observer, Rey couldn’t stop ruminating about what was to come with horror and fear.

***

During their rendezvous in the bathroom that night, Ben and Rey were too anxious to make love. Instead, they lay in each other’s arms until early the next morning before creeping back to their respective sleeping places. For the first time since Ben’s interrogations, Rey was so distressed that she couldn’t eat. Despite Ben’s urging, she picked at her breakfast and lunch and went through the motions of their training with little energy and no enthusiasm. As he watched Rey staring down at the food on her dinner plate, Ben became concerned. They’d mentally rehearsed their plan repeatedly and Rey grew increasingly morose the more they talked about it.

 _Rey, what we’re planning to do tonight is risky, but you’ve been in much more dangerous situations,_ Ben observed. _You came to Exegol alone to kill Palpatine. Why are you so upset? Is it because he defeated you?_

 _No, it’s not that,_ Rey said, lifting her eyes to look at Ben. _I’m sorry, Ben. When the time comes, I’ll be fine._

 _You don’t have to do this,_ Ben insisted. _I can do it alone and you can stay here with the guard._

 _No!_ Rey wailed down the bond. _That would only make things worse._

 _Why?_ Ben asked in confusion. Then he noticed the tears in Rey’s eyes. _What is it, baby?_

The term of endearment only made Rey cry harder. _I don’t want anything to happen to you, Ben. I’m not afraid for me, but I can’t cope with the thought of you dying._

 _It’s ok, baby. It’s ok,_ Ben said gently. He was desperate to take her in his arms and hold her while she cried, but Palpatine was watching. He used a different strategy. _You, of all people, know I’m really hard to kill. How many times have you tried? And your latest method is death by sex._

Rey giggled a little and gave Ben a weak smile. _I don’t hear you complaining._

 _I’m not an idiot,_ Ben retorted. _I can’t think of a better way to die than in your arms. That’s why we’re doing this, baby. To be together. To be free. We’re living on a knife’s edge every day and it’s better to be killed all at once than slowly murdered by a thousand little cuts._ Ben sighed. _Plus, I’m tired of fucking on the bathroom floor._

 _Was that supposed to be a pep talk?_ Rey asked, rolling her eyes.

 _Why? Did it work?_ Ben said.

Rey gave Ben her first real smile of the day. _Yes. I’m ready, Ben._

***

Approximately eight hours after dinner was over (give or take about forty minutes), Rey and Ben stood at the entrance to their prison and focused all of their mental energy on the guard posted on the other side of the door. When Rey reached out towards the guard with the Force and felt Ben’s power entering, surrounding and strengthening hers, it was as intimate and exhilarating as making love. Neither was prepared for the magnitude of their combined strength and had to pull back at the last second to keep from shattering the guard’s mind. The process of disarming him and tying him up took much less time than anticipated because the man seemed to be in some kind of Force-induced stupor. As Ben and Rey crept out of their prison together, Rey looked around at the unfamiliar terrain. They were in an unlit hallway made of some kind of dark polished stone. The ceilings were very high and vaulted and there seemed to be no windows or doors save the one to their prison. There was so little light that Rey couldn’t discern any other details and she had to stay very close to Ben in order to follow him.

Ben led Rey around several corners, down two flights of stairs and through a long hallway before they reached the armory. He took the guard’s key and held it up to the lock pad.

 _Moment of truth_ , Ben said. _Now we see if the thing works for this room._ He silently appealed to his father who he hoped wasn’t too busy drinking and playing poker in the afterlife to watch over him and Rey.

The door opened without incident and Ben and Rey exhaled. Once inside the armory, Ben closed the door behind them. It was pitch black and smelled faintly of smoke.

 _We can’t risk using any light_. _I’ll search for the lightsabers with the Force to see if they’re here,_ Ben explained. _If not, we’ll take the most powerful weapons we can find._

Ben was silent for a few moments as he focused on exploring the room in his mind. He quickly located the lightsabers in a large trunk made of extremely thick and durable metal. It was locked.

Rey moaned in frustration. _What do we do now?_

 _We pray this damn box doesn’t have an alarm mechanism that’s triggered by unauthorized access like the doors,_ Ben suggested. _Then we do our thing again and open the lock._

 _Ok then,_ Rey said and took a deep breath. _Let’s do our thing._

Though they now knew what to expect, combining their Force power was still a very intense process and Rey thought it would be easy to get lost in it. But there was no time to contemplate the phenomenon further. They could hear the elaborate locking mechanism responding to their efforts almost instantaneously and waited a tense twenty seconds for an alarm to go off. The room remained silent. Ben and Rey retrieved their lightsabers, relocked the trunk and left the armory without making a sound. Tiptoeing up the stairs, Rey was surprised to realize that her level of anxiety hadn’t decreased much at all. When they made it back to their rooms, Ben and Rey saw that the guard was still quite addled. It didn’t seem possible that he would remember tonight’s events, but Rey searched his mind nonetheless. Then they reunited the guard with his belongings and sent him back to his post, hoping he would regain his faculties before the next guard came to relieve him of duty.

 _That was too easy,_ Ben and Rey said simultaneously as soon as the guard was gone.

 _Do you think it’s a trap?_ Rey asked.

 _Probably,_ Ben responded _. But there’s only one way to find out_.

Rey nodded _. When?_

 _Tomorrow night,_ Ben said.

***

After hiding their lightsabers in the training room, Rey and Ben retreated to their only private sanctuary. They lay naked on their sides under a blanket stolen from the couch and Ben held Rey from behind. Rey couldn’t sleep, so she listened to the sound of Ben’s breathing for a while. It was soothing, but Rey was still unable to quiet her thoughts.

 _Are you awake, Ben?_ Rey whispered.

Ben’s response was to kiss her shoulder and gently nudge her ass with his erection. Rey turned to face Ben and rolled him onto his back.

 _You make me feel so desirable,_ she murmured as she climbed on top of him and fastened her mouth to his neck. She sucked and licked the sensitive spot right below his ear until he was so aroused he had to bite down on his bottom lip to keep himself from groaning loudly.

Ben sent Rey an image of the first time they’d been in this position together through their bond. _I don’t have to control myself this time,_ he growled.

He grabbed Rey’s hips to maneuver her body up and down his. They rubbed themselves against each other in a frenzy of kissing and clutching and grinding. Ben inserted a finger into Rey from behind and was overcome by the need to fuck her when he found she was dripping wet. Rey moaned and shifted slightly so she could put his hard cock inside her. She positioned herself so his thrusts would stimulate her clit. Then they began to move together, slowly building speed and friction until she cried out and he erupted inside her. As Ben came, he shared the sensations with Rey through their bond and she reciprocated. The experience was so intense that Rey and Ben wanted to live in it for as long as possible, sending the shockwaves of their orgasms back and forth down the bond. They continued writhing against each other and stopped only after their twitches and spasms completed subsided.

 _Again?_ Rey suggested.

Ben laughed. He was utterly wrecked, but his instant erection obviously had other priorities. He could be dead and moldering in his grave but would still find a way to be with Rey if she wanted him.

 _Why not?_ he agreed.

***

Later, as Ben was drifting off to sleep, Rey nuzzled his neck and whispered, “I’m in love you, Ben.”

Ben turned to face Rey so he could look into her eyes. “Say it again, Rey,” he asked quietly, feeling like he might levitate off the bathroom floor.

“I love you, Ben,” she repeated and rubbed his nose with hers.

Ben put his mouth on Rey’s and gently brushed their lips together before slowly parting her lips with the tip of his tongue. Their kiss was achingly sweet and tender, promising faith and adoration in a language more powerful than words.


	11. D-Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We're nearing the end, folks. This chapter is all action and thus somewhat shorter than the others. 
> 
> With their final battle imminent, Ben is convinced that he and Rey stand no chance against Palpatine. But Rey has hope enough for both of them. Will it be enough?

The second and final part of the plan to overthrow Palpatine was deceptively simple, but Ben recorded it on a napkin in his illegible shorthand to try to convince himself that it actually qualified as a plan. The napkin read as follows: 1) wait for the guard to deliver their dinner, overpower and restrain him; 2) leave their prison with lightsabers in hand and pray that they didn’t meet anyone on the way to the Throne Room; 3) battle and defeat any guards who surrounded Palpatine before 4) turning on Palpatine himself, using their lightsabers and combined powers to kill him where he stood.

 _There’s no way this is going to work,_ Ben said as he balled up the napkin, threw it across the room and shoved a piece of bread into his mouth.

Rey looked at him sharply. _How can you say that? It’s your plan._

 _I know,_ Ben acknowledged. _My plan sucks._

Rey shook her head and trained her eyes on the three desserts she’d selected for lunch in favor of real food. _Well, it’s too late to come up with a new one now. Are there any last minute tweaks we should make?_

 _I can’t think of any,_ Ben said. _Can you?_

Rey shrugged. _No. But I’m still not convinced we actually need our lightsabers to kill Palpatine. We didn’t have to use them with the guard or to open the trunk._

 _Palpatine is galaxies away from being a foot soldier or a metal box,_ Ben pointed out. _We’ll need every weapon in our arsenal to stand a chance against him._

Rey nodded. _You know him a lot better than I do,_ she conceded. _My track record with Palpatine isn’t all that impressive._

 _Stop beating yourself up about that, baby!_ Ben protested. _No Jedi could have withstood a direct attack from Sidious by themselves. Not me, not Luke, not my grandfather and not even that little green dude._

Rey snorted, nearly choking on her tart. _I can’t believe you just called Master Yoda ‘that little green dude’! He’s one of the most revered and powerful Jedi masters of all time. Show a little respect, Ben._

Ben held up his hands in the universal gesture of surrender. _Ok, ok. It wasn’t meant as an insult. The guy **was** little. And green. I’m just stating the facts, _Ben complained. _Anyway, you get what I’m saying._

Rey rolled her eyes. _You know what sucks more than your plan?_

 _No, but I’m sure you’ll tell me,_ Ben said in the tone of a long-suffering boyfriend.

 _Your pep talks,_ Rey responded. _But I do appreciate what you’re saying,_ she allowed. _I just don’t want you to forget how strong we are when we combine our Force energies. Palpatine kept us alive for a reason. He thinks our baby would be the most powerful weapon ever known. And what is a child conceived of a Force dyad but the ultimate merging of our powers?_

Ben stared at the table for a few moments, considering Rey’s words. When he looked up at her, his eyes were bright with love and wonder. _Courage, wisdom, strength and beauty. How did I get so fucking lucky?_ he asked rhetorically.

 _Because you’re good in bed,_ Rey shot back.

Ben laughed. _Bed, what bed?_

 _The one we’re going to make love in when we finally kill this fucker and get the hell off of this rock,_ Rey said fiercely _._

Ben feigned outrage. _Where did you learn such foul language, Skywalker?_

 _From some tall white dude I met in jail,_ Rey replied with a wink. _Now finish your lunch and let’s go train. We need to burn off a little of this stress before tonight._

Ben nodded and pushed back from the table. _Ready when you are, boss._

***

 _It’s time,_ Ben said with his ear pressed against the door. _I can hear him coming._

Rey turned on her lightsaber and assumed the Jedi Ready stance. _Ok._

As soon as the guard unlocked the door and stepped across the threshold of their prison, Rey put the lightsaber to his throat. “Do not make a sound or you’re dead,” she said in a quietly menacing voice.

Ben quickly disarmed the guard, secured him to a chair with ropes made from bedsheets and gagged him. Ben switched on his lightsaber and was about to step out into the hallway when Rey put a hand on his arm.

 _Is something wrong, Rey?_ he asked, turning back to look at her.

 _No, Ben. I just wanted to say that I love you,_ she told him _._

Ben kissed Rey on the mouth and gave her what he hoped was an encouraging smile. _I love you, too, baby. Always. But don’t make it sound like we’re saying goodbye._

Rey nodded and took a deep breath. _Ok,_ she said. _Let’s move._

“One down, three to go,” Ben muttered to himself as they made their way through the corridor.

Now that there was light, Rey could see the Sith fortress in all its evil glory. It was certainly a palace fit for the most powerful and loathsome beings in existence. Everything was constructed of grey stone and the place was completely barren and cold. There were no signs of habitation. It was a huge, lifeless shell consisting of impossibly high ceilings, endless identical hallways and an ominously oppressive atmosphere. Even the air was heavy and carried the faint scent of decay. Rey shuddered as they retraced their steps to the armory. She couldn’t believe anyone, even a Sith lord, would willingly choose to live in such a place. As they rounded the third corner, she spotted someone dressed in black and reached out with the Force to hold him in place until Ben could strike him down with his lightsaber. It was a sobering thing to kill a living creature, no matter how vile, and Rey felt the added weight of it while they continued to make their way to their intended destination.

“Two down, two to go,” Ben whispered when they approached the stairway landing, trying to distract himself from the fact that he’d just killed someone in cold blood.

Now that he was no longer a slave to the Dark Side, Ben found it much more difficult to accept the murders he’d committed in the past and those he might be compelled to commit in the future. They were an unwelcome burden he’d have to carry for the rest of his life. But he couldn’t dwell on that now.

After they’d descended the stairs and reached the hallway that led directly to Palpatine, Ben’s heartrate increased and he felt a slight tremor in his hands. He tightened his grip on the lightsaber and forced himself to put one foot in front of the other. Ben wasn’t usually conscious of his fear before or during battle, but tonight was different. Ben told himself that the plan was going smoothly thus far. They’d only encountered one person and were fast approaching the Sith Throne. He took a calming breath and looked at Rey who seemed focused and vigilant. When she hissed suddenly, Ben shifted his gaze forward just in time to see a dark hooded figure emerge from the Throne Room into the hallway.

 _Oh fuck,_ Ben thought to himself as he recognized Palpatine’s hideous face.

Palpatine stretched out his arms and Ben felt his lightsaber being wrenched from his grip and flying with Rey’s towards the monster who caught them both in his hands. There hadn’t been a second to think or respond. Ben wanted to wail in frustration and despair, convinced that it was all over before it had a chance to begin. He looked at Rey whose expression was resolute as she stared at Palpatine dispassionately.

“How you’ve underestimated me,” Palpatine cackled triumphantly. “Again and again you plot and scheme, never realizing that I am always many steps ahead of you.”

Palpatine approached them with both lightsabers extended and herded them down the hallway and into the Throne Room where hundreds of Sith waited to see the last Jedi defeated. Rey looked around the enormous hall defiantly, giving nothing away. And though Ben was horrified about what was sure to come, his eyes shone with tears of admiration and pride for his magnificent partner. Oblivious to the interactions between Ben and Rey, Palpatine forced them into the middle of room and began circling them slowly like the predator he was. Ben was familiar enough with Palpatine’s tactics to anticipate his gloating. His only hope was that Palpatine might become distracted enough by his own malignant narcissism to give Ben the opportunity to lunge for a lightsaber. True to form, Palpatine started cackling again before addressing Rey and Ben.

“You,” he spat, looking at Rey. “How stupid you must be to waste the second chance I gave you to live and become useful to me. I find it difficult to believe that my blood runs through your veins. Your ignorance is matched only by your arrogance in thinking you could defeat me after I struck you down in this exact spot. Have you forgotten?”

Rey clenched her jaw. “I remember everything, _Grandfather_ ,” she said, her eyes fixed on Palpatine’s face.

Palpatine turned his attention to Ben. “And you. What a disappointment you are. You had such potential. You might have accomplished what your grandfather and so many others failed to do. But you are _weak_. You let your emotions cloud your judgment and poison your ambition. For what? So you could rut like a beast on the ground with her?” Palpatine’s voice dripped with contempt. “I thought you were stronger than this. You allowed your basest desires to destroy your chance to fulfill your destiny. Disgusting. Pathetic.”

“The only real happiness I’ve known is with this woman. _She_ is my destiny,” Ben said. “Your ambition is nothing. You’re alone. Completely and utterly alone. Don’t waste your pity on me.”

“Very well,” Palpatine responded before striking the lightsabers together so violently that they shattered. He threw them to the side, looked at Rey and Ben and then turned to his audience of sycophants. “We will end this once and for all.”

Palpatine held up his hands and directed bolts of crackling red electricity towards them and Ben was suddenly consumed by excruciating, blinding pain that seemed to have no beginning or end. He was conscious of nothing but the pain that boiled his existence down to one thought. _Let me die._

Just as suddenly as the pain started, it stopped. Ben gasped and saw Palpatine preparing to deliver the death blow. Ben and Rey were both on their knees. There were tears running down Rey's face as she reached for his hand. Ben took it and braced himself. Then she said, _Now_.

This time they held nothing back and their combined strength was overwhelming. It enveloped and infused them with a warm glowing energy that flowed between them and outside them, touching everything and everyone in the dark cavernous space and illuminating all in a brilliant white light. They lost themselves in it and to the sensation of being merged, finally and completely. Seconds, minutes, hours passed as they surrendered to a union created by the Force – this irrevocable, inviolable bond from which a power flowed that no one and nothing could equal.

When Rey dropped Ben’s hand, they were still on their knees. All that remained of Palpatine was a pile of smoldering ashes. They watched the Sith slowly disintegrate as their fortress fell down around them. Soon, everything would be reduced to rubble and ruins. It was over. They were free.

Rey stood and extended her hand to Ben again, helping him up. Once he was standing beside her, she turned to him and said, “Let’s go.”

Hand clasped, they walked out of the room and didn’t look back.


	12. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short and sweet. The happy ending our intrepid couple and everyone else deserves. Thanks for hanging in there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to express my profound gratitude to everyone who read this, gave me kudos and/or took the time to post comments. I would not have finished writing this thing without your generous encouragement. Thank you!
> 
> And to gianabryne1976: I took your suggestion. Hope you enjoy.

Rey and Ben lay in their very own double bed basking in early morning sunlight and post-coital bliss. Rey let her gaze wander around their shared living space, delighting in the bright, cozy little nest. The unit was a gift from the Resistance leaders on Ajan Kloss, along with a lot of mismatched but colorful furniture, dishware, linens and knickknacks donated by people on the base – essentially everything a new couple embarking on their life together might need. The usual protocol dictated that only married couples were granted shared living quarters, but since Rey was one of the Resistance leaders and the other leaders were her best friends, an exception was made. Finn reasoned that the two people responsible for taking down the Dark Lord of the Sith deserved to shack up together. Ben didn’t argue. He was grateful that Finn and Poe hadn’t killed him on sight and were grudgingly beginning to accept his relationship with Rey. Ben’s skills as one of the most formidable warriors alive and his extensive knowledge of the First Order made him an invaluable asset to the Resistance. He was slowly integrating into the ranks of Rey’s friends and comrades and adjusting to living in a supportive tight-knit community.

“Do you ever it miss it?” Rey asked dreamily.

“What?” Ben said.

“The bathroom floor,” Rey answered.

“Are you kidding?” Ben snorted. “What’s to miss? The cold tiles on my ass when the towels slipped, the constant threat of death or being so afraid of making noise that I almost bit my tongue in half about a dozen times?”

Rey giggled. “You’re so descriptive, Ben. I get the picture. I guess I’m just sentimental because that’s the place where we made love for the first time.”

Ben gave Rey a soppy look. “I know, baby. That was one of the best nights of my life.” Then he smiled impishly. “But don’t you prefer fucking in private where no one can see or hear us?”

Rey blushed and cleared her throat. “According to Finn, everyone can hear us.”

“What?!” Ben exclaimed. “That’s bullshit. He’s jealous that we have the hottest sex life in the galaxy.”

Rey nodded her head. “Apparently, we’re quite loud and _everyone_ on base is jealous of us. Jealous or incredibly annoyed. Perhaps both.”

“Huh?” Ben responded, mystified.

“Well, Finn says and I quote, ‘You two sound like large animals in heat, ooze lust out of every pore whenever you’re in the same vicinity and the expressions on your faces when you look at each other are just ridiculous.’”

“Ridiculous?” Ben parroted.

“Yes, love,” Rey said. “He implied that we're soppy.”

Ben huffed testily. “I don’t do ‘soppy’. Finn just doesn’t like me.”

“That’s not true,” Rey protested. “The other day he said you were a halfway decent poker player.”

“Wow,” Ben said. “Such a ringing endorsement.”

“Coming from Finn it is,” Rey assured him. “Trust me.”

“Always, baby,” Ben replied, giving Rey a _very_ soppy look. “Well, at least no one knows about my licking fetish.”

“What licking fetish?” Rey asked as Ben stuck out his tongue and swiped her cheek with a long wide stripe.

“Ewww!” Rey shrieked. “Stop that! It’s gross!”

But Ben didn’t listen. Despite Rey’s frantic giggling, swatting and kicking, he licked her nose, her chin, her neck, her nipples and all the way down her belly until he came to the triangle between her legs. “Still want me to stop, baby?”

“Not on your life,” Rey laughed. “And not for the rest of mine.”

Ben snapped his head up to look at Rey. “Are you proposing?” he asked in a heartbreakingly hopeful voice.

“Let’s see how you do down there first and I’ll consider making an honest man of you,” Rey answered, gently threading her fingers through his hair and giving him an _extremely_ soppy look indeed.

“Then prepare to be amazed,” Ben promised.

And she was.


End file.
